Low Vision

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VISUAL DISABILITY & AUTOMOBILE DRIVING

Driving a car is very important to most people because of the independence it gives the driver and because driving is essential for many occupations. However, a car or other motor vehicle is also a big responsibility, especially as it concerns public safety. Many eye diseases cause visual disability, either temporary or permanent. You have been given this information because you have an ocular condition which has caused reduced visual acuity or visual field. It is important for you to understand the dangers of driving a motor vehicle with impaired vision.

STATE OF NEW JERSEY DRIVING REQUIREMENTS

(Reference: http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/driver_manual/Chapter_2.pdf )
Type of License Minimum Visual Requirements
Basic license 20/50 vision with or without glasses or corrective contact lenses. For sight in one eye, that eye must meet the 20/50 criteria.
Commercial license 20/40 vision with or without glasses or corrective contact lenses in both eyes. Must have 70 degrees of peripheral vision in each eye, and must distinguish among red, green, and amber colors.

In New Jersey, people with visual disability may use special telescopic lenses called bioptic lenses to pass the visual acuity tests. Bioptic lenses are costly and can be difficult to use, but they may enable a person, who would otherwise not pass the visual acuity test, to pass this test for driving

Vision requirements for driving vary from state to state. If your driving license is from a state other than New Jersey, we advise to contact your own eye doctor and your state Department of Motor Vehicles about your vision requirements for driving. You can also obtain information about vision requirements for driving in various states on the following web site: http://www.mdsupport.org/library/drivingregs.html.

Sources for Help

We will happy to discuss with you possible ways to deal with visual disability, especially as it concerns driving. Here are some good resources.

  1. To help you become a better driver: The Foundation of the Automobile Association of America (AAA) and the North Jersey Automobile Club have extensive educational and community-based help programs for all drivers including those with visual disability. These can be accessed at: http://www.seniordrivers.org/home/intro.cfm and at http://ww1.aaa.com/scripts/WebObjects.dll/AAAOnline.woa/4017/wo/y9hEl3kY7pVdggJ07pTWcw/4.Automotive.9.3.0.1.2.2.47.1.0.1.1.1.0
  2. Alternative transportation programs: The Foundation of the Automobile Association of America (AAA) http://www.seniordrivers.org/STPs/profiles.cfm
  3. Bioptic lenses: Designs for Vision, Inc. (http://www.designsforvision.com/LVhtml/LVtel.htm)
  4. Vision rehabilitation and low vision lenses: Lighthouse International, New York City. http://www.lighthouse.org/index.html

 

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