DMV VA license renewal vision test

[lovnova]

Originally Posted by TN Lily

I recently had it done also. I am older, need a new prescription and went in to change my address. The lady noticed my license was up for renewal in a few months and suggested I simply renew. I was needlessly apprehensive over the vision test. The blinking light part of the test on the machine is to test peripheral vision. I agree with Spencgr -- I think your vision would have to be pretty bad to fail the test.

Thank you!

[lovnova]

Follow up report:

Did recently take and passed the vision test. I'm also getting older and my vision in general is not as good as it used to be.

The peripheral vision part with the blinking lights was very easy. I also had to read two rows of small letters. I think it was 12 or 16 letters in each row. I had no problem making out each letter but have to say they were slightly blurry to me.

Its just a little scary (when older) not knowing what to expect when you set foot in the DMV for a license renewal vision test.

[choff5]

Originally Posted by lovnova

Follow up report:

Did recently take and passed the vision test. I'm also getting older and my vision in general is not as good as it used to be.

The peripheral vision part with the blinking lights was very easy. I also had to read two rows of small letters. I think it was 12 or 16 letters in each row. I had no problem making out each letter but have to say they were slightly blurry to me.

Its just a little scary (when older) not knowing what to expect when you set foot in the DMV for a license renewal vision test.

I have a prescription and it’s so slight, I’ve been able to not have a glasses requirement on my license for almost 50 years. At the same time, I use my prescription glasses when I drive and if I ever needed to would put up with it as a requirement. If the glasses prescription is accurate, I would think there’s no concern for a vision test at DMV. Even though you’ve passed, please make sure your vision for driving is as corrected as much as possible and needed.

[lovnova]

Originally Posted by choff5

I have a prescription and it’s so slight, I’ve been able to not have a glasses requirement on my license for almost 50 years. At the same time, I use my prescription glasses when I drive and if I ever needed to would put up with it as a requirement. If the glasses prescription is accurate, I would think there’s no concern for a vision test at DMV. Even though you’ve passed, please make sure your vision for driving is as corrected as much as possible and needed.

Yes, that's Good advice in general. In my case I passed easily. My concern was more of the unknown. Not that I thought I had a serious vision problem.
I'm sure that DMV tests weed out people with bad vision that should to be referred for correction.

Side note:I thought you had to disclose to DMV if you had any medical conditions (prescription glasses for example) that effect your driving? My license renewal form asked me that question.

[choff5]

Originally Posted by lovnova

Side note:I thought you had to disclose to DMV if you had any medical conditions (prescription glasses for example) that effect your driving? My license renewal form asked me that question.

That’s a good question and I really have no idea since it’s been a long time since I had to go in instead of renewing online. In fact you just prompted me to check, I have two more years to go before renewal. I may have said I wore glasses but I remember anytime it came to taking the vision exam I would take it without my glasses. I figured figured if I had a problem I’d pull out my glasses and try again and take what happens.

The weird restriction I had back when I lived in Indiana as a teenager and got my first license was I had to have outside rear view mirrors on the car since my eyes were like 20/25 and 20/80. When I moved to Virginia that didn’t carry over. I guess back in the ‘60’s not all cars had two rear view outside mirrors? It was strange.