What are the vision requirements for obtaining a driver's license?
2 Answers
During the driver's license medical examination, the vision requirements vary depending on the type of license. Generally, for a Class C driver's license, the applicant must have a naked or corrected vision of 4.9 or above in both eyes. For a Class A or B driver's license, the vision requirement is 5.0 or above in both eyes. If the vision does not meet the standard, it can be corrected to the required level, such as by wearing glasses or contact lenses. In addition to meeting the vision requirements, there are also certain color vision requirements for drivers. Applicants cannot be red-green colorblind, as this condition severely affects their ability to distinguish traffic light colors while driving, increasing the risk of accidents. If an applicant has visual impairment in one eye and cannot achieve the standard corrected vision, they can still apply for a motor vehicle driver's license as long as the other eye has a vision of 5.0 and the horizontal vision of the impaired eye reaches 150 degrees.
Back when I just got my driver's license, the vision requirements were no small matter. At the DMV test, the main requirement was that monocular vision—either uncorrected or corrected—had to reach at least 4.9, equivalent to 0.8 on the Snellen chart. Poor distance vision can easily lead to accidents. There was also a color recognition test where the doctor asked you to identify red, green, and blue icons to ensure you could distinguish traffic light signals. Otherwise, driving at night or in foggy conditions would be dangerous. With my 300-degree myopia, I made sure to get a good pair of glasses beforehand and passed the test smoothly. If your vision is generally poor, I recommend getting checked at a professional hospital before the test and wearing the right glasses—don’t waste money and time due to negligence. Driving is a long-term commitment, and poor vision can slow your reaction time, leading to misjudging lanes, which is extremely dangerous.
