Keratoconus driver’s license

Keratoconus and getting and keeping the driver’s license

Since keratoconus manifests itself in most people during the teenage years, there is also a chance that their driving instructor will surprise them with the license plate test, where he/she indicates that they should not take a driving test with their visual acuity. As a result, keratoconus forms an obstacle to obtaining a driver’s license. Most people start taking driving lessons in the teenage years.

Driving and visual impairment

Good vision is very important when driving. You must be able to find the way and react in time to danger. Visual acuity (vision) and visual field play an important role when driving. Visual acuity determines how well you can read road signs. Normal visual acuity, whether or not corrected by contact lenses or glasses, is between 0.7 and 1.5. With the field of view you see things that you are not looking at. You see those things out of the corner of your eye. A normal field of view with both eyes is often more than 180 degrees and 150 degrees with one eye.

Driving license in case of impaired vision or visual field

How well do you need to be able to see if you want to get or keep your driver’s license? If you look with both eyes, a visual acuity of 0.7 is required. If one eye sees worse and the other eye compensates, you still meet the requirements for the driver’s license, even with keratoconus.

Partial approval for driver’s license

Do you just not meet the requirements of vision or field of view because of the keratoconus? You can still get (partial) approval after a driving test. The visual field must not be lower than 0.4 (40%) and the remaining field of view must be at least 90 degrees. If you do not meet the requirements of vision and also not the requirements of the field of view, then obtaining or keeping a driver’s license with keratoconus will be very difficult or impossible.