Looking For Advise On DMV Vision Test.

I've been trying to get my clp in Texas for about 2 weeks now. I got my dot physical done and I'm 20/30 in my left eye and 20/25 in my right with my glasses. Well when I got to the dmv they had me take a vision test through the little machine there and I couldn't make out anything on line 5 through my left eye with my glasses on. So of course they told me I couldn't take my permit test. I went to where I got my glasses and told them they didn't help much so they gave me a stronger pair. Went back to dmv and still couldn't read line 5. So I took my glasses back again to where I got them and they made them even stronger. Going to the dmv in the morning to see if they help. I'm just wondering if the dmv eye exam is even necessary? My Dr who gave me my dot physical says my eyes are good enough. Is there any way around the dmv's eye exam? Isn't my doctors word good enough? It's all in writing on the medical exam report. Any advise from anyone would be greatly appreciated.

I think what you need is a new eye doctor. One time years ago I was on the road and had to get an eye exam so I went to one of those eye doctors at Walmart. They did the exam, gave me new contacts, and I didn't even get out the front door and turned around to go back. I could instantly see they didn't have the prescription right. So they redid the exam and I left with the proper prescription.

It happens.

There's no way to circumvent the test and you shouldn't want to. They already have a limit for what's "good enough" and that's 20/40. Why not try a different eye doctor?

Thanks for the reply Brett! If I can't pass the vision exam tomorrow morning at the dmv first thing I'll do is go to a different eye doctor. Hopefully all goes well though.

Make sure you clean the glasses and the surface of the vision machine (which is all nasty from folks putting their greasy faces up to it). Put a couple of moisturizing eye drops in, try it again.

Otherwise - go see an OPTHAMOLOGIST and get a REAL EYE EXAM. You could have a decent refraction, but a bunch of astigmatism. Plus glasses have to be ground for your "centers" correctly, otherwise they will get weird.

I had like 20/275 vision - coke bottle glasses. Had the lasik done about 12 years ago, still close to 20/20 - but my reading has gone to crap, now I need strong readers (comes with age). I have a pile of cheap generic readers, and an expensive custom ground pair for close up detail work (guns, etc.)

Rick

My eyes aren't *that* bad. I can pass an eye exam at DMV and on a DOT medical without them, however, if I'm going to be honest with myself, I do need them, definitely for reading.

I have crazy astigmatism and when my eyes get dry or strained, my vision gets all kinds of weird. I recently went to an opthamologist and had my eyes checked. I got some new progressive lenses and also a pair of single vision distance sunglasses. During the day, both pairs are great. At night, those same progressives. . OMGosh. I can't judge distance, even road signs become terribly distorted. I'm not sure if the issue is the lenses, but they're awesome during the day, or what the issue is. I do have an appointment Monday morning to try to figure this out.

Frank, I ran into this: I'm 65, and my eye's lenses aren't so flexible. Waiting for my DOT physical, I read a magazine. Got called in for my vision check. I could barely make out any of those letters on any line 20 feet away, glasses or not!

Later I tried again, but while waiting I just looked down the hallway (keeping my distance focus) and passed.

Lesson: while waiting for your vision check, keep that distance focus.

Thanks for all the advice guys. Finally passed my vision test this morning! But sadly I failed my general knowledge test. I'll be studying for the next few days before I go back and try again.

For anyone else, you might try downloading a sample eye chart and memorizing the 20/20 line!!

But sadly I failed my general knowledge test.

Have you been using the High Road test prep?

Just started it Tractor Man! I've been taking some of the practice tests this site offers and found several questions that I had missed on my test so I've got a good feeling I'll pass the next time I take it.