No matter how good your academic background or skills are, you will not be able to obtain or renew your driver's license unless you meet certain standards in the vision test. A certain level of visual acuity is required of all drivers in order to ensure safety by determining the presence of pedestrians, signs, traffic lights, distance between vehicles, etc. while driving.

In this article, for people who are not confident in their eyesight and are worried about obtaining or renewing their eyesight, we will introduce the standards for each type of driver's license, testing methods, and what to do if you fail. Please use this as a reference so that you can pass the inspection smoothly.

Vision standards required to obtain a driver's license

Visual acuity standards are divided into three types depending on the type of driver's license you obtain. Therefore, for example, you may be able to pass the inspection when acquiring a moped license, but your license may be passed when trying to get a regular car. We will introduce three classifications and standards.

For ordinary class 1 license

For a Class 1 driver's license, which allows you to drive regular and light vehicles, you must pass one of the following vision tests:

• 0.7 or more in both eyes and 0.3 or more in each eye
• Even if one eye has less than 0.3 or no vision, the other eye has a visual acuity of 0.7 or more and a left and right visual field of 150 degrees or more.

The licenses that can be obtained or renewed under the same visual acuity conditions are as follows.

• Ordinary provisional license: A license required for on-road lessons for people who are getting a driving license for the first time.
• Semi-medium 1st class (5t limited semi-medium): License for those who obtained a regular 1st class license between 2007 and 2017.
• Medium-sized class 1 license (8t limited medium-sized): License for those who obtained a regular class 1 license before June 1, 2007.
• Large special license: License to drive cranes, bulldozers, etc.
• Regular Motorcycle license: License for driving a motorcycle with a displacement of more than 50cc but less than 400cc
• Heavy Motorcycle license: License to drive a motorcycle with a displacement of over 400cc

For mopeds/small special licenses

For a moped license or a small special license that allows you to drive a forklift or agricultural tractor, the standards are as follows.

• 0.5 or more in both eyes
• People who are blind in one eye must have visual acuity of 0.5 or more and a visual field of 150 degrees or more in the other eye.

The standards required are lower than those for the regular first license, and visual acuity in each eye is not tested.

For large class 1 licenses

A large class 1 license is a license that allows you to drive trucks and dump trucks with a gross vehicle weight of 11 tons or more and a maximum load capacity of 6.5 tons or more. The required visual acuity standards are as follows:

• 0.8 or more in both eyes and 0.5 or more in each eye
• Error of 2 cm or less in depth vision test

Unlike the above two types, people who are blind in one eye cannot obtain or renew the certificate. In addition to large type 1 licenses, the following licenses can be obtained or renewed under similar conditions.

• Semi-medium, medium-sized, and large-sized provisional licenses: Licenses for taking on-road training for each type.
• Semi-medium size 1st class license (no restrictions): A license that allows you to drive a vehicle with a total vehicle weight of 3.5t or more and less than 7.5t, maximum load capacity of 2t or more and less than 4.5t, and a passenger capacity of 10 people or less.
• Medium-sized Class 1 license (no restrictions): A license that allows you to drive a vehicle with a total vehicle weight of 7.5t or more and less than 11t, maximum load capacity of 4.5t or more and less than 6.5t, and a passenger capacity of 11 to 29 people.
• Towing license: License required to tow a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of over 0.75t.
• Class 2 license: A license for driving a vehicle that carries passengers, such as a taxi or bus.

Types and methods of vision tests when obtaining or renewing a driver's license

How are visual acuity, visual angle, and depth vision, which are used in driver's license standards, tested? If it's just your eyesight, I'm sure you've had it taken during a health checkup at school or work. Let's take a look at the inspection mechanism again.

Landolt ring inspection upon renewal/acquisition

The Landolt ring test is a world-wide method that uses a mark that looks like the letter C (Landolt ring) to check whether breaks can be recognized. Visual acuity of 1.0 is determined by the following formula.

Visual acuity 1.0 = 1 ÷ visual angle 1 minute

• Visual angle: The angle made by the straight line between the edges of what you see and your eyes.
• 1 minute (bu): 1/60th of 1 degree in angle unit

If you can recognize a 7.5mm height mark with a thickness of 1.5mm and a cut width of 1.5mm from a distance of 5m, your visual acuity will be 1.0. Look with both eyes or cover one side and answer which direction the break is in the large Landolt ring. Hiragana and katakana are sometimes used for vision tests at hospitals, but Landolt Kan is the main language used for driver's licenses.

During the actual vision test at the driver's license center, all you have to do is answer a few times that all the directions of the cuts are correct. This is a test to determine whether you have passed the requirements for a driver's license, and it does not check the upper limit of what you can see, and the test time is short.

If you have one eye, check the viewing angle

Viewing angle inspections are carried out when the vehicle fails to pass the Landolt ring inspection standards when obtaining or renewing a class 1 license or special moped/small vehicle license. Fix your head, cover one eye, and measure the range of light that you can see. Place your chin on the special device and it will light up randomly, so press the response button when you see it.

To measure how far you can see from the center, you must remain facing forward and do not move your eyes during the test. It takes about 5 to 15 minutes to test one eye. Depending on the driver's license center, there are cases where the driver does not use optical indicators, and after fixing his/her head, objects approach him from the left and right sides of his field of vision, and he responds when he sees them.

Deep vision test depending on the type of license

A depth vision test examines how well you can perceive perspective and three-dimensionality of moving objects. It is included in the standards when acquiring or renewing a driver's license, which involves driving a vehicle larger than a regular car.

• Semi-medium/medium/large-sized temporary license
• Semi-medium class 1 license (no restrictions)
• Medium-sized vehicle license (no restrictions)
• Large class 1 license
• towing license
• Type 2 license

The inspection method is called the three-culm method, and is performed in the following six steps.

1. Look into the inspection machine at the specified position
2. Make sure the three sticks are lined up horizontally.
3. The rod in the middle is moved from the back to the front.
4. Give a signal when you think the three sticks are in one line.
5. Measure how much the moving stick is out of alignment with the remaining sticks
6. Do steps 3 to 4 a total of 3 times

After three measurements, the average deviation was within 2cm to pass.

Requirements for passing the vision test

Visual acuity tests can be taken with the naked eye or with contact lenses or glasses corrected. If you only wear glasses when driving, be sure to bring them with you on the day of the event.

Meets standards with the naked eye

The first condition is whether you meet the visual acuity standards for various driver's licenses with the naked eye. Even if you have been diagnosed with farsightedness, nearsightedness, cataracts, glaucoma, etc. by an ophthalmologist, there is no problem as long as you can see on the day of the test.

You will be required to pass a vision test under the same conditions not only when you obtain your certification but also every time you renew it. There are few opportunities to undergo tests in daily life, and unless you realize that you have difficulty seeing letters or objects at a distance, you probably don't realize how much your visual acuity is currently. If you think there is no problem, please take the test with the naked eye first.

However, since this is a safety concern, if you have any concerns about your vision, please visit an ophthalmologist as soon as possible without waiting for a vision test.

Meets the criteria while wearing contact lenses or glasses

A driver's license can be obtained or renewed if your vision passes certain standards, even when corrected with contact lenses or glasses. If you wear contact lenses, please declare them when taking the test. Unlike glasses, the inspector cannot tell whether you are wearing them by looking at them.

If you are unable to pass the test without contact lenses or glasses, the words "glasses, etc." will be written in the condition section of your driver's Driver's License. Even if you normally live with orthodontics, the test can be performed with the naked eye. If you pass the test, "glasses, etc." will not be listed, and you will have no problem driving even without correction.

What to do if you fail the driver's license eye test

Don't give up on getting or renewing your driver's license just because you failed the vision test. If you take the following three measures and pass the criteria, you can drive.

• Re-examine on the same day
• Have your glasses or contacts made and then undergo a re-examination.
• Re-examine at a later date

Obtaining and renewing information is not available on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and the year-end and New Year holidays, so it may be difficult for some people to secure a schedule on weekdays. We will explain the details, so if something happens, please choose the method that is most convenient for you.

Re-examine on the same day

You can retake the vision test as many times as you like on the same day. If there are other people waiting in line, try lining up at the end and keep trying until you pass.

Even people who can usually see well may not be able to demonstrate their full potential due to disruption of their autonomic nervous system due to daily fatigue or overuse of their eyes. Try the following methods to improve temporary vision loss.

• take a nap
• Steam towel or hot eye mask for eyes
• eye exercises
• Pressure point massage around the eyes

Even if you take the test in the morning and fail, there is also a reception desk in the afternoon. You have a better chance of passing the exam if you take as much time as possible to rest your eyes.

Re-examine at a later date

If your schedule is full and you do not have time to retake the test on the same day, there is no problem in taking the test at a later date, and since you have already paid, there will be no additional cost. If you are getting a driver's license for the first time, the vision test will be taken before the written test, so you should continue studying until the day you take the retest.

For those who will be re-examined at a later date, please be careful of the deadlines for obtaining and renewing. Each deadline is determined as follows.

• First acquisition: Pass the written exam within one year after graduating from the driving school
• Update: 1 month after your birthday in the year you want to update

If the last day of renewal falls on a Saturday, Sunday, holiday, or New Year's holiday, the next weekday will be the last day of renewal. If even one day passes between obtaining and renewing your license, your driver's license will not be issued even if your eyesight exceeds the standard. Please schedule a re-examination date as soon as possible.

Have your glasses or contacts made and then undergo a re-examination.

If you take a visual acuity test with the naked eye and find that your vision is significantly below the standard, get glasses or contacts made and have your eyes tested again. If properly corrected with glasses or contacts, visual acuity will be around 1.0. You will be able to pass the standards for any type of driving license, and your vision will be clear in everyday life. It is also important from a safety perspective.

To find out which glasses or contacts are best for you, please first visit an ophthalmologist. You can get eye glasses made at an optician after undergoing a vision test, but an ophthalmologist can also check for eye diseases. You will receive a prescription after an examination that takes about 1 to 2 hours, so take it with you to the nearest store that is easily accessible. We will continue to take care of you, so it is easier to consult with us at a physical store.

If the store or manufacturer does not have the lenses in stock, it will take 1 to 2 weeks to make the glasses. If the deadline for acquisition or renewal is approaching, you may not be able to make it in time. If you are concerned about your eyesight, please start taking action as soon as possible.

Q&A about vision for driver's license

Finally, we will explain the following four questions that are frequently asked regarding driver's license vision in Q&A format.

• What if you lose or become blind in one eye due to illness or injury?
• What if my vision is restored after surgery?
• What happens if you drive with the naked eye and don't wear glasses even though you have poor eyesight?
• What are some tips for passing an eye test?

Even after obtaining or renewing a driver's license, vision problems continue to persist. Be sure to clear all your doubts so you can drive with peace of mind.

What if you lose or become blind in one eye due to illness or injury?

Even if you have lost or impaired vision in one eye due to illness or injury, you can still obtain or renew your driver's license as long as you meet the vision requirements. Even if you fail the test once on the day, please take a break or make corrections before taking the test again.

Please note that if you have a large class 1 license that requires visual acuity of 0.5 or higher in each eye, you will not be able to renew or drive. If there is no hope of recovery, give up driving large vehicles and only drive regular cars or mopeds.

If it takes a long time to recover and the renewal expiration date has passed, please contact the police station or license center. If it is within 6 months of expiration, you will be exempt from taking the academic and skill exams, and you can reacquire it by passing the vision test and aptitude test and taking a course. If you have a large, medium, or ordinary license that has expired more than six months and within one year, you can obtain a provisional license by simply completing an aptitude test. If more than a year has passed since the license expired, you will have to start over at the driving school. If you are confident in your subject and skills, you can take the exam at the License Center.

What if my vision is restored after surgery?

Even if your current driver's license requires glasses, etc., if your eyesight is permanently restored through surgery or eye training, you will be able to drive without the naked eye by completing the procedure to remove the restriction.

Procedures are accepted on weekdays at police stations and license centers, where you submit an application and undergo a vision test. If you pass the test, it will be written on the back of your driver's license that the condition for wearing glasses has been lifted, and you will be able to drive without eyes from that day. If you can pass the vision test at the next renewal, you will no longer need the glasses listed on the table.

Even if you pass the vision test at the time of renewal, there is no guarantee that your vision will not deteriorate by the time of your next renewal. Visual acuity can deteriorate rapidly due to aging and overuse of the eyes. If you feel even the slightest bit anxious, try correcting it with glasses or contact lenses before driving.

What happens if you drive with the naked eye and don't wear glasses even though you have poor eyesight?

If you drive without glasses even though your driver's license states that you wear glasses, you will be subject to the following penalties:

• 2 points for violation
• Fine of 5,000 to 9,000 yen (the larger the size, the higher the fine)

Even if you think you won't be found out, you may be asked to check your driver's license for some reason and found out. Don't drive, even if you feel confident.

Additionally, driving with poor eyesight increases the risk of overlooking traffic signs and traffic accidents. Examples of possible violations and fines include:

If an accident occurs, it may become irreversible. For your safety, please drive with proper eyesight.

What are some tips for passing an eye test?

Here are three tips to help you pass your vision test on the first try:

• Get in shape before the test day
• Bring glasses or contact lenses
• Vision test beforehand

Your physical condition will also be affected by what you do just before the test. If you overwork your eyes on your smartphone just because you have free time while waiting for your test, your results will be different even if you rested the day before. Also, people who wear glasses or contact lenses may lose their prescription if they have not used them for a long time. Check it well in advance of the day, and if it's not in focus, make it again.

Preliminary vision tests are available free of charge at many opticians. We may be able to accommodate you without a reservation, so feel free to contact us. If your rough vision is fine, a computer or smartphone app is also useful. There are free ones available on the web, so try looking for them.

Get prepared and pass your driver's license eye test

If you do not pass the vision test for a driver's Driver's License, you will not be able to take the written test when you obtain it, and you will not be able to proceed to the course when renewing your driver's license. Visual acuity requirements vary depending on the type of driver's license. For regular cars, you need to be able to see at least 0.7 in both eyes, and for large vehicles, you need to be able to see at least 0.8, and you need to be able to see at least 0.5 in each eye with one eye.

Even if you fail the test, you can retake the test as many times as you like without any additional cost during the acquisition or renewal period. However, when correction is required, it takes time to see an eye doctor and have glasses made. If you don't take action well in advance of the deadline, you will regret it.

Prepare to pass your driver's license vision test smoothly and aim to obtain or renew your driver's license.