Specsavers Suspension of Driving Licence

[BazzaS]

A relative of mine has recently had an eyesight test at the request of the DVLA.

 

 

On going to Specsavers (the DVLA's designated optician) they failed the test but

they were offered an immediate re-test albeit with a fee payable.

 

 

They refused their kind offer and subsequently they lost their licence.

 

 

If a person fails a test is there any point in re-testing, especially immediately?

Surely Specsavers aren't going to take someone's money just to fail them again.

If the re-test passes them, the result of the first test must be questionable.

 

Thinking about it maybe they just thought this was a sales opportunity.

 

A month previously my relative had their eyes tested at another well known High Street opticians

and was specifically told their eyes were fine to continue driving.

 

 

My relative went back there after learning their licence had been revoked.

 

 

The optician there and then did a retest and said again their eyes were more than adequate to continue driving.

 

Needless to say both myself and my relative are pretty unhappy with Specsavers.

 

 

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

 

Why did DVLA want them to have an eyesight test? Do they have an underlying medical condition?

 

Related to "do they have an ophthalmic condition", what did they "fail" on?

Insufficient (corrected) VA?

Visual field deficit?

Some other factor?

 

Visual acuity & fields shouldn't change that quickly between tests such a short time apart if there is no underlying medical problem, but if there is no problem, why are DVLA asking for a test .....

 

If there is an underlying medical problem then it is possible to see such change (eg with glaucoma, what if the pressures were particularly raised the day of the "bad" test).

 

As for "we'll retest you straight away & charge you for it" ; I can see how this looks "dodgy" without explanation.

However, it is possible to construct a "non-dodgy" scenario

e.g. Fail on Visual Field, one "spot" only, but in a key area.

Optometrist / Optician has to issue a "fail".

Their "gut feeling" is that it was due to the patient not being comfortable with the test, but "DVLA rules" don't allow for such. Hence they think "they'll probably pass on a retest"

 

Even so, with the scenario I've constructed, it is open to misinterpretation as "commercial scalping" unless it is explained, and (so far) we don't know enough about the actual scenario to reach a reliable conclusion.

 

I'm not sure one can say the Specsavers test was "wrong" without the extra info to justify the criticism : the detail is important to make a reliable assesment.

 

 

What Group (1 or 2) licence is it? There are different standards.

 

 

DVLA publish the medical standards they use, including the eyesight requirements. The Group 1 requirements are pretty clear.

 

Group 2 requirements are more complex, depending on if it is "just" a C1 license, and also the date of test pass (as there are "grandfather" provisions), but a "fail" on the Group 1 standards is an automatic "fail" for Group 2, too.

 

There may be "foul play" here, but I can't see how those who are claiming it can be sure, without the details to back up those claims.....

[BazzaS]

Hi everyone, thanks for your replies. I guess that just because something smells at Specsavers it doesn't mean there a pile of you know what. This relation is elderly but I know that if they thought that they weren't up to driving they would give up. The test came about when someone anonymously contacted the DVLA and said who knows what? We dont know. As I typed this I thought "surely this isn't right, an anonymous accusation?". They have had no accident. They have no eye problem accept something called dry eyes which they sometime use drops for. Exactly what was tested we are unsure of accept that it didnt last as long as a normal test. They have a straightforward licence just for cars, group 2. Its the fact that twice, another Optician did specific tests for driving and found no grounds for a suspension. Something still smells.... Thanks

 

A) Group 2 isn't standard cars, that is Group 1.

B) how can your relative not know what was tested - they will know what they were asked to do, be that "read the eye chart" or "pressing the button when you see a light flash".

 

Dry eyes alone aren't a cause of restriction : blepharospasm with / from dry eyes could be.

Otherwise, is this all related to visual acuity? Cataract?

 

There are processes to either:

A) appeal the revocation, or

B) re-apply for a licence.

 

Either way you need to know

i) why it was revoked (ask the Specsavers optician, SAR'ing them if a simple request fails), and

ii) what the standards are / what the Specsavers and other optician found

 

to boost your relatives chances of success.