Failed eyesight test

[mops]

Hello fellow bikers....

So I went to sit my learners test, which I passed 100% error free....
However, I was quite surprised to find out that I have failed my standard eye check...

I was very tired and hearache, which I think affected my eyesight.

Now, to get my facts straight...
I do not have 20/20 vision any more, but I do dont think my eyesight is that bad, and I never wore glasses and I never thought I should.

so I went to the optometrist to get an eyecheck...
he told me that I have light astigmatism (left eye 0.75 and right eye 1.25) and I dont have to wear my glasses for driving/riding durning the day, but I should at night, therefore he insisted that I get glasses (from his shop of course) and he noted on my eyesight cert that I have to wear glasses for driving/riding. As I was leaving after it was all done, he said he wont issue me eyecheck cert if I dont have glasses (I kinda dont understand this one, as it's not his duty to enforce me whether i drive with or without glasses). Overall it was a pretty bad experience, and I felt he was just making me buy his glasses....

Anyways....


suppose I'm going to go and get a second opinion from some other optometrist. I'm just wondering, does anybody know, what are guidelines/requirements/eye condition/benchmark of having to drive/ride without glasses.... (if you know what I mean).

Dont get me wrong, If I would feel my eyesight is bad, I would definitely do something about it, but I just dont think it's the case. I tried glasses, and all tho they slightly improve my reading of letters on the eyecheck baard, I feel they severly restrict my field of vision, and I'm I wouldnt feel safer behing the wheel while wearing these....

[Bartman10]

A lot of people fail at the testing station. No need for concern, the machines can be hard to read for some people; that is the machines lack traceability and are poorly designed for their intended purpose - a common affliction among government commissioned measuring instruments, which is related to the tendering process.

[Colapop]

It's not a major. (ok maybe it is for you) In the long term you'll end up better off. Your headache could be from eye strain - that's pretty common.
If you don't want to buy them from that guy - don't. He's looking at you with dollar sign eyes.
I've worn glasses for awhile, 10+ years, and I only have a slightly bad eyes (passed the look in the box test) and recently looked into getting contacts (there's a thread here somewhere) costs aren't that great and it seems your eyes aren't that bad...? Maybe check out that option a (and thread). You can get test contacts apparently.
My missus works for the AA and you'll get a better answer from them than you will from the LTSA (F*cktards).

[Sniper]

Those machines are shit anyway mate. I rmember failing my learners because the machine broke and they couldn't do my eyesite. ARGH!!!!

Don't worry though, you will fly through next time

[crashe]

A young friend went to get his license and failed the eye test...
Couldnt see the 3 sections of letters that he had to look at.. he could only see two... I looked at it and couldnt understand why he couldnt see the three.

Now apparently this is very comon.... that many cant see the three.

So it was recommended for him to go and get what is called a "Standard " test which costs $15 at the eye specialist..... he did this and passed with flying colours. It was discovered that he has a squint, which is common.

He has to do this "Standard" test everytime he goes to upgrade his license or when he renews it.

So he doesnt need glasses to drive or ride....

So if you have doubts then go and ask for the "Standard" test..
which takes a couple of minutes to do... the eye specialist know about this particular test. It is NOT a full eye test.

But if you are required to wear glasses and don't wear them and a nice police officer :Police: stops you... you can expect to have a $400 fine for breach of license conditions.

[Keystone19]

Dont get me wrong, If I would feel my eyesight is bad, I would definitely do something about it, but I just dont think it's the case. I tried glasses, and all tho they slightly improve my reading of letters on the eyecheck baard, I feel they severly restrict my field of vision, and I'm I wouldnt feel safer behing the wheel while wearing these....

You know it wouldn't hurt to get a second opinion but if the first optometrist is indicating that you have astigmatism, you probably do. Astigmatism may not appear to affect your vision in terms of distance but it can alter the angle of your vision. Things can be slightly blurry around the edges. You would get used to wearing glasses even though it feels like it is reducing your peripheral vision at first. As someone else said, you may find headaches and tiredness are attributable to straining to see without being aware of it.

I once had a pair of glasses made that didn't correct for my astigmatism and the only way I could see clearly out of them was to hold my head on a 40 degree angle. Once corrected I found I no longer walked sideways...

[Karma]

I used to get major headaches without my glasses...
now I wear contacts and my eyesight is spot on.

Just bite the bullet and get contacts / glasses, at least you'll be able to see sharp.

[snuffles]

So I went to sit my learners test, which I passed 100% error free....
However, I was quite surprised to find out that I have failed my standard eye check...




Too much Wanking???????????

[mops]

Too much Wanking???????????
ha, ha, very funny.....

[*sic]

But if you are required to wear glasses and don't wear them and a nice police officer :Police: stops you... you can expect to have a $400 fine for breach of license conditions.

contacts my friend..

[Keystone19]

contacts my friend..

Lasix eye surgery...

[dawnrazor]

something your eye tester won't tell you, is that you are entitled to be given a writen perscription after you have paid for a test, but you will have to ask and it will piss them off no end, 'cus it means you can walk into any other eye testing shop and buy their glasses and not theirs.

Just something to do if you feel a bit ticked off by the optician, it really pisses them off!

[Drum]

I failed the eye test at the AA because I could only see two columns instead of three, as Crashe mentioned. I flew through the 'standard' test at the optometrist, who said I have 20/20 vision (I think the test was around $25 bucks?).
Anyway, apparently I have monocular vision - which is kind of similar to the difference between mono and stereo.
I can never see those damned 3d pictures either!

[John Banks]

monocular vision? You can only see out of one eye? That's pretty bad, there.

[Waylander]

Sometimes I think that those test maching thingies are out of focus on purpose. Just to fuck with us. Tried one with my glasses on and it was still just as fuzzy as it was without them.

[sunhuntin]

A young friend went to get his license and failed the eye test...
Couldnt see the 3 sections of letters that he had to look at.. he could only see two... I looked at it and couldnt understand why he couldnt see the three.

Now apparently this is very comon.... that many cant see the three.

So it was recommended for him to go and get what is called a "Standard " test which costs $15 at the eye specialist..... he did this and passed with flying colours. It was discovered that he has a squint, which is common.

He has to do this "Standard" test everytime he goes to upgrade his license or when he renews it.

So he doesnt need glasses to drive or ride....

So if you have doubts then go and ask for the "Standard" test..
which takes a couple of minutes to do... the eye specialist know about this particular test. It is NOT a full eye test.

But if you are required to wear glasses and don't wear them and a nice police officer :Police: stops you... you can expect to have a $400 fine for breach of license conditions.

i was the same as crashe's friend....could see the numbers, then a big black spot and then the two boxes of letters, one in middle, the other on the right.
went to the opt and also the doc who both tested my eyes and passed. i do have a lazy left eye that does cause double vision when i get overtired or loose concentration, but i spent so much of my younger life watching with the double on purpose that i can see normal anyways.

[Fooman]

A young friend went to get his license and failed the eye test...
Couldnt see the 3 sections of letters that he had to look at.. he could only see two... I looked at it and couldnt understand why he couldnt see the three.

Now apparently this is very comon.... that many cant see the three.

So it was recommended for him to go and get what is called a "Standard " test which costs $15 at the eye specialist..... he did this and passed with flying colours. It was discovered that he has a squint, which is common.

He has to do this "Standard" test everytime he goes to upgrade his license or when he renews it.

So he doesnt need glasses to drive or ride....

So if you have doubts then go and ask for the "Standard" test..
which takes a couple of minutes to do... the eye specialist know about this particular test. It is NOT a full eye test.

But if you are required to wear glasses and don't wear them and a nice police officer :Police: stops you... you can expect to have a $400 fine for breach of license conditions.


Yeah, I get this too. The left eye sees two columns [A B], the right eye sees [B C] and together you're supposed to see [A B C]. All I saw was was two indecipherable characters as the A/B and B/C overlapped. Simple solution however - read the first two columns with the right eye closed, then read the last with left eye closed.

Yes, I do have moderate shortsightenedness and astigmatism, but this was with my glasses on!

FM

[James Deuce]

monocular vision? You can only see out of one eye? That's pretty bad, there.

No you can see out of both eyes, but your brain only processes the image from one at any given time. Plays havoc with depth perception. A lot of inadvertant tailgaters have this condition.

[Drum]

Not quite Mr Banks. I can see out of both eyes perfectly well. But rather than seeing out of both eyes at the same time, apparantly I see out of one eye at a time, but alternate quickly between them (or something).

The terrible side effect is that fat chicks look real good after about 10 Heinies!

[inlinefour]

Those machines are shit anyway mate. I rmember failing my learners because the machine broke and they couldn't do my eyesite. ARGH!!!!

Don't worry though, you will fly through next time

I have never done that test and allways get the letter from the eye specialist which does the trick;)

[Redstar]

I have never done that test and allways get the letter from the eye specialist which does the trick;)
well mate being that your so safety consious and all is your eye site Bugg**d or not? the test is not a problem for me but then I gave up W**king at an early age..

[mops]

Thanks for input guys and gals.

Reason i went to that place is that a friend of mine, who's eyesight is really buggered (glasses like beer bottle bottoms) went there, and he just asked the optometrist not to put it on his drivers license, and it was no problem. However he went there to get glasses in the first place, not to get tested...

I did get my prescription from that place, but they wouldnt give me the certificate for the LTSA without having glasses.

Ideally I'd like to visit an eye doctor, one that doesnt have a shop that sells glasses, just to elimiate the 'sell' factor... I do not mind paying for proper consultation. If anyone knows such place, then give me a pm.

Serioulsy, I feel that my eyesight is in good condition. Maby not hawk/eagle eye, but certainly nothing that would impact my daily life in any way... and I'm IT pro, so I stare at screens all day long.

[MacD]

I do not have 20/20 vision any more, but I do dont think my eyesight is that bad, and I never wore glasses and I never thought I should.

so I went to the optometrist to get an eyecheck...
he told me that I have light astigmatism (left eye 0.75 and right eye 1.25) and I dont have to wear my glasses for driving/riding durning the day, but I should at night, therefore he insisted that I get glasses (from his shop of course) and he noted on my eyesight cert that I have to wear glasses for driving/riding.


The vision requirement is 6/12 (20/40 in old money) binocularly (both eyes open) and 140 degrees horizontal visual field.

6/12 means that the smallest letters you can read are twice the size that a "standard" observer could read at a 6m distance (added distance to confirm the point Lou makes below - it is a distance test not a near test - the screening machine presents the letter optically at a 6m distance)

If you can't get 6/12 unaided then the optometrist is required by law to note that you need glasses to drive on the eyesight test form (note: this is only if you are specifically being tested in order to complete the form, if it's just a normal eye test there is no form therefore no requirement if you see what I mean - maybe the source of confusion regarding your friend)



(I kinda dont understand this one, as it's not his duty to enforce me whether i drive with or without glasses).


Actually it is...in fact Optometrists are even legally obliged to inform the LTSA if they believe a driver is continuing to drive with substandard vision (although this is a rare occurrence).

I'd suggest getting a second opinion, and you can always ask for your prescription and get it filled elsewhere.

[Flyingpony]

Yeah, I get this too. The left eye sees two columns [A B], the right eye sees [B C] and together you're supposed to see [A B C]. All I saw was was two indecipherable characters as the A/B and B/C overlapped. Simple solution however - read the first two columns with the right eye closed, then read the last with left eye closed.

Ditto.

Also always get my test done first thing in the morning when everything is all nice and fresh from sleeping. Least likely then to fail that darn horrible eye sight test.

[ducatilover]

i failed my eye test for cage and bike both times but i got an optometrist woman [good lookn she was] to test my eyes and she said my eyes were good and voila:scooter: :wari:

[DogBreath]

Yeah, I get this too. The left eye sees two columns [A B], the right eye sees [B C] and together you're supposed to see [A B C]. All I saw was was two indecipherable characters as the A/B and B/C overlapped. Simple solution however - read the first two columns with the right eye closed, then read the last with left eye closed.

Yes, I do have moderate shortsightenedness and astigmatism, but this was with my glasses on!

FM
Yep. I did that too, passed easily.
Started to say that I could see them when I closed one eye and the women at the testing facility leapt in with "you can't do that blah blah blah..."
So I said I opened both eyes and just read it out.
Do it, just don't say wot you do.

[inlinefour]

well mate being that your so safety consious and all is your eye site Bugg**d or not? the test is not a problem for me but then I gave up W**king at an early age..

You know me? Definitely does not sound like it mate. You might be anally retentive about safety but it does not often pay to spout out at the mouth when you know nothing about what your saying. As your a tad ignorant I will educate you.
I wear prescription glasses, have done since a very young age. Now when I wear my glasses, I have 20/20 vision. However I am as blind as a possum in the midday sun without them. Hence it is a requirement that I allways wear glasses. Now this might be just a piss take, I dont know or care. But if its not I seriously doubt your last comment...:baby:

[Lou Girardin]

The vision requirement is 6/12 (20/40 in old money) binocularly (both eyes open) and 140 degrees horizontal visual field.

6/12 means that the smallest letters you can read are twice the size that a "standard" observer could read.
.


This is basically correct, there is no standard for astigmatism. If you meet the minimum standard your licence cannot be endorsed "requiring glasses".

The LTNZ approved eyesight testers are notorious for inaccuracy, yet they've refused to remedy the problem. After all, it's not their money wasted on unecessary tests.

Get a second opinion.

[geoffm]

Those eye testing machines are a crock of fertilizer. A lot of people have trouble with them, and I have to wonder how well they measure what they are supposed to measure. Based on Auckland drivers, I would say not very well...
Glasses are a lot cheaper in the US, via internet Mail order once you have the prescription. Have a look at the archives on Bruce Simpson's site (www.aardvark.co.nz) where he gives a review and US site where he got his (update: http://www.aardvark.co.nz/daily/2005/0407.shtml) . The difference was easily over $200 a pair for the same thing. The price made getting several pairs (so you have spares, or workshop ones) a possibliltiy
Geoff

[Big Chim]

But if you are required to wear glasses and don't wear them and a nice police officer :Police: stops you... you can expect to have a $400 fine for breach of license conditions.

Heres a question, I dont wear glasses but to my understanding, if you are suppose to wear glasses when you drive/ride it is on your license there for the cops to pick up on if they site your license, so if your riding with contacts in how do you prove to the cops you have them in?? take one out??

Couldnt you say you had them in if you didnt when you got pulled over if they can't check it? provided you were'nt on the wrong side of the road on the motorway of course. save $400 if you got away with it?

[John Banks]

You can see contacts if you look. Should be a faint ring in the white of the eye around the iris.

[Big Chim]

oh ok, could a cop see them at night? does he have to flick his torch light in your eyes?

[thehollowmen]

Go to your family GP
easier test, sympathetic words and they'll write out a cert no problem
I've failed twice too, because of peripheral vision. Learnt a little trick because a lot of people fail on that.. pull your head out by four inches

[Colapop]

So how'd ya get on Mops?
I went an checked out contacts and the f*ckers want to charge me $200! Thats about average for the 3 places I went to and then they want me to $400 a year on lenses. Jesus! I'm just going to stick with my dirty ol' glasses coz I'm a cheap c*nt.

[John Banks]

oh ok, could a cop see them at night? does he have to flick his torch light in your eyes?

Yep, pretty much. Even in daylight you'd have to hold your eyelids open while the cop peers into your eyes, so I don't think any cops actually bother checking.

[mops]

Hello.
Well, I still dont know where to go to get the test. GP might be a good idea. I did noticed my eyesight is better in the morning. I think I'll take toomorow (monday) off and give it a go... I'll get either cert or glasses.....

[Maha]

GP is a good place to start mops, i had monocular vision when i did the site test. The lady asked me if i had one closed cos apparantly there were more letters there than i was telling her. Short answer i couldn't see anything through my left eye, so went to the oppo and she tested the eye, i had a full cataract going on, which i knew about, already had the other eye done about a year earlier. So booked in and got the left eye done, 20 min opp cost $3000 but with the new lens i now one line better than 20/20 in my left eye on the chart thing at the doc's....good luck mops

[XP@]

I have just done the eye exam for my, hurrm, car test.
I do have glasses for astigmatism but only need them if I am really tired. so I made sure i was 100% when I went in for the test, i passed but i think only just.

If you do need glasses, when you go to check out the frames take your helmet with you and try them on with your lid on.

[mops]

Hello.
Just an update.

Took eyesight test with a random GP today.

All tho my right eye is a bit off, I can drive without glasses yay !
Went to ltsa and got my license already :)

can wait to get ouyt of work and jump on the bike :)

Thanks guys and gals for your input and support !

[crashe]

Hello.
Just an update.

Took eyesight test with a random GP today.

All tho my right eye is a bit off, I can drive without glasses yay !
Went to ltsa and got my license already :)

can wait to get ouyt of work and jump on the bike :)

Thanks guys and gals for your input and support !


Just remember to do this everytime you need to sit or upgrade your license.

Get the bit of paper from the GP to say your eyes are ok.
So that you dont have to go through this every time.

[spudchucka]

Anyway, apparently I have monocular vision - which is kind of similar to the difference between mono and stereo.
I can never see those damned 3d pictures either!
It happens when each eye has a slightly different focal length, you probably can't look through binoculars either, right?

You can complete the AA eye test simply by reading the screen using one eye at a time. If they say read from right to left you start with your right eye open and your left eye closed, read the screen back and then switch to left eye open and right eye closed and you will get all of the letters on the screen.

I have 20/20 vision but I don't have binocular vision, things look further away in my left eye than they do in my right eye because of the different focal lengths. Its a really common problem, I don't know if it can be corrected but you can pass your driving eye test every time if you do it the way I've described.

[FlyingDutchMan]

Yeah, I get this too. The left eye sees two columns [A B], the right eye sees [B C] and together you're supposed to see [A B C]. All I saw was was two indecipherable characters as the A/B and B/C overlapped. Simple solution however - read the first two columns with the right eye closed, then read the last with left eye closed.

Yes, I do have moderate shortsightenedness and astigmatism, but this was with my glasses on!

FM

I've got pretty good vision, but I've had trouble with those things as well. I just did the same thing - close one and look with the other. Makes it so much easier.

[vifferman]

All these people saying they have defective eyesight but can see to drive perfectly well. :eek:
Hope I don't meet any of you on the road....

[Colapop]

All these people saying they have defective eyesight but can see to drive perfectly well. :eek:
Hope I don't meet any of you on the road....

What? Who said that? Who's there? ....


*mutter*Well bugger you then I'm going out for a ride *feels around for keys*
Bump
*walks into wall*
Thud clatter bang crash
*and then down the stairs*

[Clockwork]

It happens when each eye has a slightly different focal length, you probably can't look through binoculars either, right?

You can complete the AA eye test simply by reading the screen using one eye at a time. If they say read from right to left you start with your right eye open and your left eye closed, read the screen back and then switch to left eye open and right eye closed and you will get all of the letters on the screen.

I have 20/20 vision but I don't have binocular vision, things look further away in my left eye than they do in my right eye because of the different focal lengths. Its a really common problem, I don't know if it can be corrected but you can pass your driving eye test every time if you do it the way I've described.

I too have "monocular vision" although I didn't realise what caused it until I read this thread, I simply discovered I could pass the test by opening and closing each eye!

I assume its perfectly legal for one-eyed people to drive and as I've managed to drive and ride 30 years without an accident and worn glasses for an astigmatism(sp) for as long as I can remember, I can't help wondering why they conduct this binocular vision test in the first place!

[yungatart]

I'm short sighted in one eye, long sighted in the other (no- they don't cancel each other out) and I don't see in 3D. I knew from what others had said that I would fail the AA eyetest so went to my optician for a certificate instead. I don't need glasses to drive/ride but choose to wear them as it helps with fatigue/eyestrain/headaches etc.
The AA test is hopeless-my father in law failed his, his optician was away so he went to some other dick whacker and paid $600 for glasses he doesn't need and also has his licence endorsed with 'must wear corrective lenses".
His own optician was not impressed-needless to say neither was F I L.