Can You Prepare for an Eye Test at the DMV?

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A DMV eye test in Wilmington, NC, can be a scary prospect for many, especially if they’re worried that they’ll fail. While vision is clearly important for being on the road, so is the independence and freedom that a valid driver’s license can bring. If you’re concerned about the outcome of the exam, we’ll look at what you should know and whether you can prepare.

Minimum Requirements in North Carolina

The exact requirements vary based on your medical history, but you will need to pass a vision screening test to renew or obtain a new license. To drive in North Carolina, you don’t need to have perfect vision in order to drive. Plus, you can rely on everything from standard glasses to BIOPTIC telescopes (a lens that can magnify objects up to 6 times) to meet these requirements.

How Long Does the Test Take?

The test is relatively short and very straightforward. Unlike at your local eye doctor, you won’t be asked to read extremely tiny rows of print in order to pass. The DMV employee will request that you read different characters and then clarify the sharpness of your eyesight based on your answers. The state will then designate what type of corrective eyewear you need (if any) on your driver’s license.

Prepare by Visiting an Ophthalmologist in Wilmington

An eye doctor in Wilmington, NC can tell you more about what you’ll need to prove to the DMV in order to either get or maintain your license. Thankfully, there are usually at least a few avenues to pursue — even if you have extreme visual limitations. The technology available today has made it possible for people with disabilities to stay on the road without endangering others. Contact the Paul Vision Institute if you have questions or concerns about an upcoming test.

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What Are Scleral Lenses?

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A scleral lens is a hard, large diameter lens that sits on the white of the eye (the “sclera”) and vaults over the cornea. It is very stable and does not move on the eye.  Scleral lenses are made of highly oxygen permeable material. Unlike other contact lenses, scleral lenses actually do not come in contact with the cornea when fit properly. By vaulting over the cornea, scleral lenses are capable of correcting for or neutralizing irregularities in the corneal surface caused by injury, surgery, or disease.

A liquid reservoir of sterile saline solution fills the space between the back surface of the scleral lens and the front surface of the eye creating a moisture chamber on the front of the eye. This liquid reservoir fills allows for superior comfort & vision correction beyond what conventional contact lenses and glasses may provide. Scleral lenses are use as therapy to both treat ocular surface diseases & provide vision correction.

What Ocular Conditions Can Scleral Lenses Help?

There are numerous ocular diseases/conditions that are best treated with scleral lenses. When fit correctly, a scleral lens is both a therapeutic device and a refractive device all in one. The scleral lenses that we design can fit virtually any eye shape, unlike conventional contact lenses. Common ocular conditions that may benefit from scleral lenses include, but are not limited to:

  • Keratoconus
  • Post-refractive surgical complications due to LASIK, Radial Keratotomy, PRK, etc… Many of these complications include distorted and fluctuating vision, light sensitivity, reduced night vision, halos, glare, starbursts and ocular pain.
  • Pellucid Marginal Degeneration
  • Complications resulting from corneal transplant surgery.
  • Post-LASIK corneal ectasia.
  • Chronic dry eyes due to systemic disease, medications, etc…
  • Steven’s Johnson Syndrome, Ocular Cicatricial Pemphigoid

What Are Benefits Of Scleral Lenses?

  1. Significantly improved vision in cases where conventional glasses & contact lenses do not help.
  2. Elimination of ocular pain and discomfort due to disease, trauma, surgical complications, or ocular surface irregularities.
  3. Elimination of “higher order aberrations” including glare, halos, double vision, and light sensitivity as a result of other refractive surgeries.

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How do I order Scleral Lenses?

Call our office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Taylor. You will need a comprehensive eye examination to determine whether or not scleral lenses are right for you. The process of custom-fitting scleral lenses to your eyes may take several visits. While the process of ordering scleral lenses may be tedious, the results can be life changing. Call 910-256-6364 to schedule an appointment.

Does Glaucoma Always Lead to Blindness?  

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Glaucoma is an eye disease that develops slowly, over time. Often, there are no symptoms, which is why your eye doctor in Wilmington makes sure you get a glaucoma test with every visit. But if you already have glaucoma, you may be worried about your prospects regarding your vision. Does glaucoma always lead to blindness?

Glaucoma Almost Always Reduces Vision

There’s no getting around it. Glaucoma almost always reduces vision. The amount of vision that is lost due to glaucoma varies depending on when the disease was caught and what treatments were done. The Johns Hopkins Institute report that about 5% of certain persons with glaucoma will lose their ability to read standard print. Because glaucoma affects people differently, certain other people may have higher chances of losing partial vision. Furthermore, about 15% of people who develop glaucoma will end up losing the ability to read in one eye. This will affect their depth perception, since vision in both eyes is needed to discern distance. In turn, this loss of vision will likely lead to a loss of the person’s driver’s license, since they may not be able to pass a vision test even with corrective lenses.

Avoiding Glaucoma is the Best Option

The best option is to avoid getting glaucoma to begin with. This means reducing the risks that can lead to glaucoma. The first thing to do is to have regular eye exams so that you can be checked for signs of glaucoma. These tests are quick, painless and included with a standard eye exam at Paul Vision Institute.

Treating Glaucoma

If you do have glaucoma, your eye doctor in Wilmington may be able to halt its progression. This would be done by reducing the pressure inside the eye through a range of treatments.

For help with your glaucoma and to learn more about glaucoma prevention, please contact us today.