vision requirments

There is a Vision Exemption Program. You probably already know your eyes are suppose to be 20/40 corrected. Periphial vision must be 70 degrees or better.

I think you fall under monocular vision since you can see good out of one eye corrected. That qualifies for the exemption. But the bad part is you have to had your CDL for the three years prior or driven a non-CDL commercial vehicle for the three years prior. That's the hurdle which might disqualify you from the exemption.

Here's the vision exemption form with contact info.

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/documents/safetyprograms/Vision/vision-exemption-package0706.pdf


Here's another page that might interest you with an email addy you can ask questions.

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/topics/medical/exemptions.htm

Good luck!

 

I am blind. I hold a class A CDL and a pilot's license. No joke, without my contacts, I am totally blind and don't see anything beyond certain color patches and light. With my contacts that are specially made for the disease I have, I have 20/20 in one eye and 20/15 in the other.

I am like you and not a candidate for corrective surgery. I have what's called Kerataconus. If that's what you have, please PM ME. I may be able to offer some advice from experience trying different things to keep my DOT medical and FAA flight physicals.

BEFORE you try the route with a waiver from the DOT, you might look at other doctors and alternative measures to get better than 20/40. When I started needing medical certifications to drive and fly, I struggled to meet the minimum criteria. Now, I can easily pass the tests.

I was only correctable to 20/450 and 20/275 with glassses and began looking at other doctors, optical devices, and treatments. Even though most everyone told me I'd never fly or drive after I was 30, I'm still doing both, AND with better vision than I've ever had.

You're at 20/40 and 20/50, so don't give up yet. I would bet you can find a doctor that can help you not only get the one eye better than 20/40, but Improve your 20/40 eye as well.

Just don't take the advice of a single doctor, especially if it's Kerataconus you're dealing with. There are things you can do besides surgery or glasses in most cases. You just need to find an opthamalogist willing to help you.

Good luck and I hope you find a way to correct or treat your vision!

 

i my self have karakatnonis i had a cornea transplant and it cured it. they take a cornea from a donor eye and sew it onto your eye you do run a risk of rejection but if all goes well you will be 100% in no time. ask your opthamologist about it

 

Wow, that's great! I'm glad you've had good luck with the corneal transplants. Is your vision 100%, now? That's awesome! I've really looked into the corneal transplants, but I'm usually told that my Keratoconus is advanced and severe enough that I should only consider that as an option to avoid total blindness with correction. If I wear to do the transplants, I'd need correction and I'd only be able to see around 20/80 or so with glasses, so I am plugging along the way I am for a while yet. I currently wear the SynergEyes SoftPerm lenses that I have to replace every sixth months. They work great, but the trick is to have an opthamologist measure and fit your eyes perfectly.

I am in hopes that, one day, they'll get the stem cell thing figured out. Adult stem cells that they harvest from you, re-engineer and then give back to you seems to be the most promising and closest solution for these types of problems.

Also, there is a guy out in Los Angeles working on a non surgical treatment called C3-R that involves ultra violet light and some sort of vitamin treatment to strengthen the corneas.

Maybe one day, I'll be able to benefit from this stuff. For right now, though, it's the SoftPerms for me. Good thing they work good!

 

Have you sought another opinion? Not for the diagnosis, but for the correction. It sure seems a shame to give up over the difference between 20/50 and 20/40/. You're so close.

I haven't heard of amblyopia, but there may be treatments that are not necessarily cures. May be just enough.

What is revitalvision?

 

I have one eye that is not great. A friend of mine that had his CDL for a while told me he peeked through his fingers, is this possible at the DOT physical exam?
I am at my last resort for a job!