Mandatory eye tests for drivers over 70 being proposed by HMG. Good or bad?

[Dustydog]

My main reason for not now using Specsavers is that the local ones seem incredibly busy and have limited waiting areas whilst waiting for things like the OCT, peripheral test and glaucoma test. Sometimes you are virtually in a corridor. Also being a big company I get the feeling that everything is timed for throughput. Whereas our local Boots is far more relaxed and you can discuss things more comprehensively with the staff. But fair play to Specsavers they find a dilated optical nerve and got me an appointment to the Bristol Eye Hospital quickly.

There are people and people and premises and premises.
Compare the two you mentioned .At Cirencester and you may get a different perspective.
Do you think HMG / DVLA should use individual Optometrists?
Note SS is a Joint Venture Partnership and is arguably a hybrid between a National and an Individual private firm

 

[otherclive]

There are people and people and premises and premises.
Compare the two you mentioned .At Cirencester and you may get a different perspective.
Do you think HMG / DVLA should use individual Optometrists?
Note SS is a Joint Venture Partnership and is arguably a hybrid between a National and an Individual private firm

No I don’t accept HMG, DVLA should use independent for testing required by DVLA where a drivers eyesight has been questioned. Specsavers nationally have standards procedures and work to the contract. Wrt any future widespread testing of eyesight for 70+ that could be carried out by national of independents against whatever requirements are specified by DVLA. So far in the Government statement ( my earlier link #76) nothing has been said about requirements or how test results may be sent to DVLA, if in fact they are required to be sent. There’s a lot of conjecture. My preference would be mandatory test against specific requirements with the optician giving a prescription and YES/NO and advising the driver what action is required. This could be submitted to a national. database if required but my preference would be to put the onus on the driver just like most other medical conditions affecting your licence. No need to invest in a massive bureaucracy unless the new approach is not working. But I think if drivers are forced to have eyesight tests and confirm to DVLA the outcome of the test at renewal time that’s a salutary reminder. Of course there will be those that buck the system just like other medical conditions affecting driving, insurance, mot, tax, tyres etc. But you cannot legislate totally for perverse behaviour.

Wonder how other countries do it for mandatory tests at renewal time or on a specific birthday?

 

[Dustydog]

I think we may have allowed Fred Drift in🙀
DVLA only use Specsavers where they demand a mandatory eye test. Independents are ok otherwise?

 

[otherclive]

I think we may have allowed Fred Drift in🙀
DVLA only use Specsavers where they demand a mandatory eye test. Independents are ok otherwise?

No Fred Drift in my mind just a reasonable discussion on possible options. But I don’t think it’s going to be a quick introduction either way.

 

[Sam Vimes]

After bad experiences of using Specsavers - for which I would never go back - I'm not sure its a good choice to only have them as the Mandatory Testers.

By the way - could you guys use a bigger font

 

[Hutch]

Is this any better for you.

 

[RogerL]

After bad experiences of using Specsavers - for which I would never go back - I'm not sure its a good choice to only have them as the Mandatory Testers.

By the way - could you guys use a bigger font

At most opticians, it's two different people for testing eyesight and selecting/ordering new spectacles - sometimes it's the latter who let down the branch.

Some time ago I tried to get a detailed explanation from Specsavers on all the many different varifocal patterns but no-one at the branch or head office could provide it.

 

[Beachball]

I think we may have allowed Fred Drift in🙀
DVLA only use Specsavers where they demand a mandatory eye test. Independents are ok otherwise?

Well actually I am only going to Specsavers for my eye test and OCT appointment on 22nd January 09.20 not for DVLA it offers good parking.

 

[Sam Vimes]

At most opticians, it's two different people for testing eyesight and selecting/ordering new spectacles - sometimes it's the latter who let down the branch.

Some time ago I tried to get a detailed explanation from Specsavers on all the many different varifocal patterns but no-one at the branch or head office could provide it.

There's a third party and possibly forth and fifth party as well and that's the lab who make the glasses plus the person who measures you up for the frames.

Finally there should be a check when getting the glasses that they fit correctly and the focus points are in the right place.

 

[Hutch]

There's a third party and possibly forth and fifth party as well and that's the lab who make the glasses plus the person who measures you up for the frames.

Finally there should be a check when getting the glasses that they fit correctly and the focus points are in the right place.

My local Boots opticians, when I bought my last pair of glasses, the chap taking the fitting for them mentioned, that he thought I was looking over the top of my old glasses,
He advised me to have the sight point to be lowered so that my vision point was lower in the lens, this worked very well. Very pleased with the Boots Opticians at Kingston, in Milton Keynes.
So you have the Opticians and the people, I don't know their professional name, who measure and fit your glasses.