acotiga

Hello, I have a not so severe color-blindness and I wanted to know if in Australia the eyesight test includes a standard ISHIHARA color test. Is colour-blindness a problem in Australia as far as regarding the driver-license? I drive for 5 years and never ever had a problem because of this disorder.

Thank you.

rockpeblar

I work with an English guy who's been in WA for 3 years. He's colourblind but has a WA licence.

GinaUK

Here in WA, the eye test involves looking at the chart with the letters and reading those. There is no test for colour blindness. And there is no question on the form you have to fill in asking if you are colour blind.

In other states it might be different.

Gina

The Bloke

In Qld, any medical condition that is liable to affect your driving has to be declared or face a $4500 fine and possibel loss or restriction on licence if detected.

worzel

I am colour blind and had no problem getting a licence in Perth.

Eammon

Hi Gina

Do you (or anyone else out there) know how far you have to be able to read down the chart or what the range is for WA - for example 6/12 for the driving licence eyesight test?

Thanks

Denise

worzel

You can wear your glasses.

GinaUK

Same as in an optician's shop. And yes, you can wear your glasses or contact lenses.

If your eye sight is sufficient for a UK driving licence then you will be o.k. for a WA one as well. I am very short-sighted (-6.5) and can't read down the charts very much. My UK optician always assured me that I was fine for driving and they gave me a licence here as well.

Gina

Vin 'n Bin

When I moved from Adelaide to Perth I had to change my licence.
In Adelaide if you wear glasses to drive then when you renew your licence you can keep your glasses on to read the eye test....but there is an 's' restriction on my licence, which means of course that I must wear my glasses at all times when driving.....otherwise........
However here in Perth they made me take my glasses off and read the letters on the bottom line. First eye from right to left, second eye left to right
I couldn't read the bottom line with one of my eyes but they let me off when I read the penultimate line

GinaUK

Maybe they did that to see if you could drive without glasses?

If they'd made me take my contacts out and then read the chart I wouldn't have been able to see the chart

Even with my contact lenses in I can't read the last three lines on the chart.

Gina

acotiga

Maybe the card in 1 meter away from you. Or everything is more like a book that the doctor holds inches from your face

It depends on the ratio distance to card / height of the letter.

nickyjohnt

Plenty of colour blind people here in WA, Approaching a set of traffic lights and the amber light obviously means put your foot down to a lot of drivers, Red light means you still have plenty of time to get across.
Bloody Madness

John

acotiga

That's ok since here amber means "Hurry! In a few second it will be red" and red means "Hurry before the others start".

EvannTel

I think also in WA, while there are no problems getting a drivers licence if you are colour blind, you get a red coloured licence rather than the usual blue one

acotiga

Ohhh! What a relief! A thought it was gonna be green The mix-ups between normal and "special" license would have been a nightmare for me.