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      • About Diabetic Retinopathy
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Menu
  • My Cart
    • Language
      • English
      • Arabic
      • Chinese
      • Greek
      • Italian
      • Portuguese
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      • Vietnamese
    • Home
    • Macular Disease
      • Macular Degeneration
        • About Macular Degeneration
        • Check My Macula
        • What Happens?
        • Risk Factors
        • Prevention
        • Detection
        • Diagnosis
        • Treatment
        • Charles Bonnet Syndrome
        • Cataracts and Macular Degeneration
        • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Diabetic Retinopathy
        • About Diabetic Retinopathy
        • About Diabetes
        • What Happens?
        • Risk Factors
        • Prevention
        • Detection
        • Diagnosis
        • Treatment
        • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Low Vision
        • Living with Low Vision
        • Carer and Family
        • Aids and Technology
        • Slips, Trips and Falls
        • Legal blindness
      • Other Macular Diseases
        • Best Disease
        • Macular Hole
        • Macular Pucker
        • Macular Telangiectasia
        • Myopic Macular Degeneration
        • Retinal Detachment
        • Retinitis Pigmentosa
        • Retinal Vein Occlusion
        • Stargardt Disease
        • Central Serous Chorioretinopathy (CSC)
        • Posterior Vitreous Detachment and Floaters
        • Vitreomacular Traction Syndrome
      • Visit Eye Health Professional
        • Eye Injection Costs and Rebates
      • Macular Disease
        • Anti-VEGF injections for macular disease
    • Research
      • Research Grants Program
        • Research Grants Awarded
        • Research Grant Recipients
        • Apply for the 2021 MDFA Research Grants Program
        • Research Grants Panel
      • Support Research
      • Latest Research
        • Research News
        • MDFA Research
        • Macular Diseases
        • Understanding Research
        • Social Impact
      • Research Updates
        • Annual Research Update
        • Weekly Research Updates for Professionals
      • Research studies
        • Research participants needed in the Canberra region who enjoy art and have vision loss
    • Resources
      • Order Publications and Resources
      • Find a Healthcare Provider
      • Audio and Video
        • Audio
        • Podcasts
        • Patient Voices
        • Videos
      • Macula Menus
      • Check My Macula toolkits
      • Aged care resources
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        • Archive
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        • 2021 news
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        • Archived News
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        • Events Calendar
        • Watch past webinars
      • Media Centre
        • Media Releases
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        • Annual Reports
        • Whistleblower Policy
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  • Maintaining Independence
  • Driving
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Macular Disease

  • Macular Degeneration
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    • About Macular Degeneration
      • How The Eye Works
    • What Happens?
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      • Lifestyle
      • Nutrition
        • Nutrient Content of Foods
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    • Detection
      • Early Signs
      • Changes to Vision
      • Professional Testing
      • Amsler Grid
    • Diagnosis
    • Treatment
      • Early and Intermediate Macular Degeneration
      • Wet Macular Degeneration
      • Dry Macular Degeneration
    • Charles Bonnet Syndrome
    • Cataracts and Macular Degeneration
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Diabetic Retinopathy
    • About Diabetic Retinopathy
      • How the Eye Works
    • About Diabetes
      • Diabetes and the Eye
    • What Happens?
    • Risk Factors
    • Prevention
    • Detection
      • Testing
    • Diagnosis
    • Treatment
      • Diabetes Care Team
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Low Vision
    • Living with Low Vision
      • Causes
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      • Challenges
      • Just Diagnosed
      • Maintaining Independence
        • Reading
        • Driving
        • Lifestyle
      • Low Vision Assessment
        • Visiting a Low Vision Service Provider
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      • Depression
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    • Carer and Family
      • Guide for Care
      • Becoming a Carer
      • Care Plan
      • Support Team
      • Effective Communication
      • Guiding
      • Caring for the Carer
      • Entitlements
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    • Aids and Technology
      • Ten Step Action Plan
      • Living Aids
        • Lighting
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      • Technology
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        • Subsidy Programs
      • Slips, Trips and Falls
        • Reducing Risk
          • Around the Home
          • In the Community
          • Your Health
            • Mobility and Strength
            • Medicines
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        • Falling
          • Why We Fall
          • Planning For Help
          • After A Fall
          • Fear of Falling
      • Legal blindness
    • Other Macular Diseases
      • Best Disease
      • Macular Hole
      • Macular Pucker
      • Macular Telangiectasia
      • Myopic Macular Degeneration
      • Retinal Detachment
      • Retinitis Pigmentosa
      • Retinal Vein Occlusion
      • Stargardt Disease
      • Posterior Vitreous Detachment and Floaters
      • Central Serous Chorioretinopathy (CSC)
      • Vitreomacular Traction Syndrome
    • Visit Eye Health Professional
      • Eye Injection Costs and Rebates
    • Macular Disease
      • Anti-VEGF injections for macular disease

    Driving

    When you are driving a car, good vision is essential to your safety and the safety of those around you. Any marked loss of visual acuity or visual field reduces the ability to safely drive. People who have lost a significant level of vision may not notice another vehicle and/or pedestrians, and they may take longer to perceive and react to a potentially hazardous situation.

    Losing one’s driver licence due to significant vision loss can be traumatic and it can lead to feelings of dependence and inadequacy. That makes it important to prepare for a time when you may be unable to drive. You can do this by researching and familiarising yourself with public transport options in your area and, where appropriate, identifying the services you need that are closer to home. Local community organisations may offer transport services that you can access to take you to your nearest shopping centre.
     
    Different States and Territories of Australia have different requirements when it comes to the level of vision required to maintain a driver licence. Consult your local authority or talk to your optometrist to find out the rules that will apply.
     
    People who require lenses to correct their vision may be granted a conditional licence. An ophthalmologist or optometrist may also recommend a conditional licence if a person’s visual acuity or visual fields are just below that required by the standard, but the person is otherwise alert, has normal reaction times and good physical coordination.

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