kitedoc
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 4,785
- Location
- Adelaide, South Australia
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Pump
- Dislikes
- black jelly beans
But when bsl excursions are quoted at something like 10 mmol/l difference that may tell a difference story. Neither of us can say professionally that they are not a worry. And we can only guess at the competence of the assessor.Further to this, I looked up the Australian documentation relating to diabetes and driving. It's pretty much the same as the DVLA, they're concerned with hypos.
There is a very short section on "Acute hyperglycaemia"
https://austroads.com.au/publicatio...nt-and-management7r5-mgn/acute-hyperglycaemia
but that tells us the highs the OP is talking about aren't a worry.
Nice, I’ve got a ‘96 Speed TripleTriumph Daytona
But if bsls fluctuated what were your measured visual acuities like ?Thinking about all this, I wonder if it’s a fasting plus adrenaline response - as @Knikki suggests, something to eat before going for a ride would seem like a worthwhile experiment. I feel pretty groggy at high levels, but that’s because I’m not used to them any more - back in the days when I wasn’t taking very good care of my diabetes, I’d be running constantly high and felt fine on it.
One HCP passed the OP but my post and concerns still stand as a general statement.
If I had to look up what an "acuity" is when my BG was 5.3 ...But if bsls fluctuated what were your measured visual acuities like ?
Yes, compared to at say, 20 mmol/l, for argument's sake ! The doctor would be testing the visual acuities to see what difference there might be and whether one or other fell outside the acceptable range for driving.If I had to look up what an "acuity" is when my BG was 5.3 ...
Well, if I couldn't see clearly, I wouldn't have been on the road... I make day to day judgments as to whether I'm fit to use the roads, and if I'm not (for whatever reason), then I don't.But if bsls fluctuated what were your measured visual acuities like ?
I'm guessing it's a result of the adrenaline rush?
Yes, compared to at say, 20 mmol/l, for argument's sake ! The doctor would be testing the visual acuities to see what difference there might be and whether one or other fell outside the acceptable range for driving.
Perhaps scarier is during a hypo when one's peripheral vision seems to crowd in to a great degree.
You're right we're all different. Some of us have enough insulin or have low enough resistance to clear sudden blood sugar spurts after extreme stress, an activity or event which causes your epinephrine (adrenaline) to flow, indicated by a rapid heart rate and tremors. Unfortunately, I'm not one of those people, being low insulin myself. Just this night, at 1.30 am my spaniel woke me up with a start, barking at the window for which my cgm showed a two-point spike in sugar which I didn't manage to clear. On top of this I had a further rise - the dawn phenomenon, at 5.30 am.Everyone is different, but I have never found adrenaline impacting blood sugars. I know a number of diabetic Skydivers and they haven’t had a problem either. After you have thrown yourself out of a plane often enough there is no adrenaline rush, but there certainly is if you are preparing to go for a reserve ride. I have been there and done that a few times again no impact on blood sugars.
Thank you for your comment @evilclive .Would any doctor do an eyetest at different BSLs for a licence renewal? That's going to be quite tricky to arrange isn't it?
I don't think anybody disagrees that hypo is a no-no for operating machinery.
Thank you for your comment @evilclive .
Point one: the post was answering about measuring visual acuity formally under normal and high bsl conditions. Not put forward for practicality reasons, which i agree are pertinent. But it has been known to happen in Oz.
We have a visual acuity test and a peripheral vision test.Interesting. To renew my licence, even after losing it for hypos (while asleep...), the only bit related to visual acuity was as mentioned in the form which can be found here :
https://assets.publishing.service.g...ta/file/778827/diab-medical-questionnaire.pdf
It's basically "Can you see? Do you need glasses?", and a tick box - no formal assessment required, and certainly no mention of hypers.
We can't be doing too badly though - roads about 1.5x safer than Australia
One HCP passed the OP but my post and concerns still stand as a general statement.
And no-one can assume the competence of the assessor.
Interesting.We have a visual acuity test and a peripheral vision test.
I do not think one can extrapolate safety figures from the stringency or otherwise of medical test assessments.
My view is: would you wish to have someone untested for their eyesight (where eyesight problems are more likely than the general population) or for their ability to see out of the corner of their eyes (peripheral vision or fields as it is called) allowed to drive unrestricted ?
I think the answer is obvious. I would always vote for the more strict testing for my sake and everyone else on the road or near it.
Any visual issue for me during a driver's license assessment has to be referred to an ophthalmologist for further assessment and certification.
And it is sadly not unknown for people with eyesight/field problems whether from diabetes or not to try to bluff or threaten the examining doctor into letting them pass.
I have already discussed the issue for high BSLs above and note @Chowie's post.
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