Anyone here have glasses for driving? (Concord, Laconia: opthamologist, home, to buy)

[Be Free]

I've never had prescription glasses and wondered if anyone can answer some questions I have:

1) Did you need an opthamologist or is an optometrist adequate?

2) Does the DMV require any paperwork from the Dr.?

3) If you went to an optometrist, did they dilate your eyes? (and could you drive after?)

4) How long did it take to get your glasses?

5) Are contacts allowed for driving, instead of glasses?


I need to renew my driver's license and I doubt I'll pass the eye exam (barely passed it 4 years ago). Since I'm leaving for the summer in a few weeks, I'd like to avoid failing the test and having to go back again. I don't have eye coverage (will pay cash) and worry about the dilation because I'll have to drive myself home afterward. I have some drugstore reading glasses, but I'm not positive they'd help me pass the eye test or if they're even allowed. I assume it needs to be "prescription lenses."

Also, if you can recommend a place to go in the Concord or Laconia area, I'd appreciate it.

TIA.

[Mac_Muz]

IDK..... I am more like you are now.....
I need reading glasses the cheap 3 dollar kind and buy sunglasses bifocals to see the instruments on the dash but have no other correction for distance. The sun glasses bifocals only cost 20 bucks.

As far as I know the DMV doesn't let you test with glasses on.. maybe the best thing to do is visit the DMV and find out what criteria they use and seek advice medically after that.

[FrugalYankee]

I've had bad eyesight all my life - that is until I let myself be a guinea pig for the laser eye surgery over 20 years ago. I still have problems with floaters and I have a bump on my cornea which won't allow me to focus through that spot.

NH doesn't require me to wear glasses to drive but I have a pair anyway as I have astigmatism. In Europe my eyes are not considered good enough to drive without glasses as they also test for night vision.

The NH DMV requirements are pretty loose, namely your vision has to be be 20:40 or better, which is about 0.75D. If you wear glasses to drive, then you have to wear them when you take the DMV vision test. If you fail the test then you need paperwork from your eye doctor. And yes contacts are allowed for driving.

Testing Requirements | Driver Licensing | Division of Motor Vehicles | NH Department of Safety

An optometrist should be able to handle getting you a prescription as well as diagnosing any of the more common eye ailments (like glaucoma). If you don't want your pupils dilated (as they do when checking for things like detached retina) then just say no. They can't force you. If it's been a while since you've had your eyes checked, you might want to have them check your eyes out completely just to be safe.

Last time I got new glasses it took about 3 weeks, but I also got graded bifocals so maybe if I had gotten simple eyelgasses it would have been faster.

[avlis13013]

Originally Posted by Be Free

1) Did you need an opthamologist or is an optometrist adequate?

2) Does the DMV require any paperwork from the Dr.?

3) If you went to an optometrist, did they dilate your eyes? (and could you drive after?)

4) How long did it take to get your glasses?

5) Are contacts allowed for driving, instead of glasses?

1) Ophthalmology is usually for eye diseases and/or surgery. Optometry is for vision and should be adequate. If the optometrist finds something unusual they can refer you to an ophthalmologist.

2) I've never submitted paperwork. They just ask if your vision is corrected with lenses so they can note that on your license. I had lasik between license renewals and I forgot to tell the DMV. They caught it at my last renewal. They kinda make a big deal about that info being correct. I'm always surprised they check that stuff because I never remember that info is there. I've even had cops ask me when pulled over.

3) Depends on what they are checking. Probably a good idea to get dilated if its been a while since you had a full exam. I've been dilated, seems like a dozen times, since last summer due to some problems I've had. I've driven and even worked the rest of the day. Vision is blurry after and you'll need some dark shades. I ask for temporary shades at the office and slip them under my regular sunglasses.

4) N/A. Prescription glasses are a scam. Its a main reason I got LASIK. Why can I get cheap metal sunglasses at CVS for $10 but a metal frame at the eye doctor is $200? I digress...

5) Yes. It has to be noted on your license as mentioned above.

[Be Free]

Thanks, you guys. that's a big help. I did see an eye dr. form on the DMV website... but I'll call and ask them if I need it signed by the eye dr. or not. I also noticed that they'll give you a 6 month temporary license if you're out of state at renewal time (which I will be). Maybe I'll go that route if I can't get the glasses quick enough.

I don't know if I could do contacts or not... I have a scar in my left cornea from a tree branch and an eye dr. told me when I was a kid that I have astigmatism in both eyes (though my vision was 20/20 until the last couple years). I probably need bifocals. I can read road signs well off in the distance, but can't read a book in front of my face. Lately, I have more trouble seeing at night though.

Mac - where do you get those sunglasses from?

[Mac_Muz]

FY, I wish lazer was an option, but for people who can see far but are unable to read that isn't usually an option. I went to a doc and asked.

I am spoiled rotten and had perfect vision until i turned 45. before that time i could see the hairs on the end on my nose in fine detail and could see fine detail for so far as i could see.

The doc said just do what you are doing with cheap reading glasses. These days i wear + 2 for pc reading, + 2.5 for smaller print and if i must see up close and what ever is small and or getting a hard lok I stack these up and look a fool, but i don't care.
................................................

Be Free I will pass you some links and comment on each .... if i do...

Bifocal Motorcycle Sunglasses | Cli-MAXRidingGear.com

Just hunted these down on the web. I haven't bought any from these folks but they look ok to me.

Sunglasses Over Glasses and Bifocal Sunglasses

I have several pairs of these from this site but at laconia bike week i was able to buy these face to face in person and I didn't even bite anyone...

Yellow Lens Sports Sunglasses Style Y5 - Sunglass Rage
I have these for very poor weather riding and use these at night.

PSR9 Small Sports Frame Polarized Sunglasses

I have these in amber for the gray days a Fall Foliage viewing when riding.

I have 2 pair of something else like these is gray shades as well for bright sunlight.
I don't see the exact ones.
Bifocal Sunglasses For Sports Style B16

These look very close to the gray pairs i have.

next site
Boomers in the Know - Sunglasses Readers | Sun Readers | Magnifying Sunglasses | Bifocal Sunglasses Boomers

Just another site i had dug up long ago. I have not bought anything from here.

Flash Mirrored Reading Sunglasses

These are plain tinted readers, not bifocals. Not sure if you would want one, the other, or both.

I do both.... in clear reading glasses i use bifocals and plain readers depending on what i am doing.

In gray, amber, and yellow they are all bifocals.

Reading Glasses - Vintage - Modern @ Debspecs

more readers not bifocals

Comment:

The yellow bifocals have clear enough lens that other people can see the cut on the lenses....

The amber and gray are dark enough most other people never notice the cut line which is on the inside of the lens.

In the case of the amber's I chose they are graded dark at the top to lighter to the bottom. These tend to brighten a gray day by enhancing red, and yellow bands of the spectrum.

Oh besides the above I am starting to see the tinted bifocals in eye safety catalogs as Northern Tool and that like. These can be in a wide assortment of colors and some have mirrored lenses.

my taste run a tad conservative. I should sell off my B&L ray ban aviators since they are just plain great glass, but I never will

[Mac_Muz]

The last time i was at the DMV I could not see the line the tester wanted me to read for beans..

he then told me to read the next smaller line and i thought he was nuts, but with my left eye i could. I have no clue how that worked out.. But i am legal with no glasses to drive or ride.

So I am curious about you.

Just in case. That offer i made 2 years ago still stands. I don't imagine you will ever take that up but if you do it's still cool.
it was over face to face meet ups... I understood your point then and still do, so i am just sayin'.

people and times change..

[nanciegord]

I always had to wear glasses for driving when I lived in FL and it was noted on my FL drivers license. When we moved to NH, I passed the drivers test without glasses. However, I usually still wear them when I drive, because I do see better with them (and they also act as sunglasses outside) and in fact, got new lenses put into my old frames about six months ago. But I wish I had been smart enough not to get those lenses at the optometrist's office. . . I paid a huge amount for something I now know I could have gotten a lot less expensive at a Lens Crafters or Penneys or other place. Live and learn.

[Be Free]

Thanks, Mac. You really didn't have to go to all that effort.

Nancie - I knew there were cheaper places, but couldn't think of their names. Thank you, I'll look for Lens Crafters reviews online and see if people are happy with them.

[Mac_Muz]

Wer'nt no trouble