Would You Expect Someone Who Was Blind In One Eye

[Tilly2]

to be able to drive?
My uncle has macular degeneration and has been having treatment on his 'good' eye. He's been for more treatment today and the consultant is really pleased with the improvement in that one eye. He asked if he was able to drive and was told, 'Yes, but not at night time.'

I am really surprised that he's been told this.

[wolf63]

Many moons ago I worked for DWP. I interviewed a guy who had left or lost his job as a bus driver. He was totally blind in one eye and partially sighted in the other. He assured me that he knew the route off by heart and just hoped that he didn't hit anything.

[gingejbee]

Details here...

https://www.gov.uk/monocular-vision-and-driving

[ToraToraTora]

yeah, my brother has one eye passed his test 35 years ago.

[Tilly2]

My uncle is the same, he's been driving around and we have all been terrified that he would cause some sort of accident. Luck has been on his side. Now it's official that he can drive, we can all stop chirping at him.

[Tilly2]

Thank you, Ginge. That is a very useful document for all the family.

[gingejbee]

Thanks Tilly...strange thing is - I was thinking about this very subject a few days ago (as I've been having a bit of trouble myself with one eye, and it got me thinking).

[davebro]

There aren't many things a one-eyed person can't do. I think flying a commercial airplane might be one.

I was blind in one eye for several months following an accident & didn't experience any difficulties.

[ubasses]

I was surprised as the DVLA hve taken 3 months so far, to decide if they are going to renew my licence due to some paralysis of my optic nerve.

[Old_Geezer]

Yeah. I hear that if you lose an eye you have to go half normal speed to be careful. If you lose both then it's down to quarter speed.

[haras2]

I have had 10% sight in one eye all my life.
The only problem I've had is focussing on the double top, hence nobody wanted me in their darts team

[jno]

I would have thought so. Pirates and the like with eye patches live normally: the horizontal range of vision won't be so wide and you might have to turn your head back and forth more, but as long as the clarity of vision isn't affected I think I'd be okay. Not at night, though, when everything's harder to see.

[Atheist]

Monocular vision is not good for perceiving distances between the eye and the perceived object(s). That's not ideal for someone driving a fast vehicle weighing a ton or more.

[Tilly2]

Yes, it's the peripheral vision that bothers me. surely he cannot see as well as he should.

[zebo]

My late OH was born blind in one eye and he drove from being 17, because he obviously had a reduced field of vision it actually made him very careful. As he got older though he disliked driving at night and he was beginning to fear the future.

[bookbinder]

I have a friend (German) who has had an artificial eye since he was a boy (he's now 84), and he was driving up to five years ago.

[andy-hughes]

I would have thought that the inhibition of depth perception and spacial awareness would make driving hazardous, but clearly, from the posts I have read, this is not the case.

[Atheist]

AH, from the posts I have read, I wouldn't be persuaded that monocular vision is acceptablee. But I gather that it is considered acceptable by the powers that be, unless the eye-bloke says othewise.

[Canary42]

/// depth perception ///

I believe the experienced brain easily adapts (using size I presume).

Unfortunately my driving ban is due to a clot in the part of the brain which translates (for want of a better word) the feedback from the eyes so it affects both of them, creating a blind spot in the same place for both eyes. Optically both eyes are perfect (given corrective lens) so I just need a brain transplant (must visit Professor Victor Frankeinstein).

[Atheist]

Canary; forgive me for pointing out a misspelling in your post. I think you meant Fronkensteen.

[Canary42]

?