I might lose my license...

tricky

Member
So yesterday I went to the DMV to renew my license...I failed the vision test. Yes, I wear contacts but over the last 5 years I have developed an eye condition called macular dystrophy. It basically means I can't focus on a pin point but I can see everywhere else. So I couldn't focus on each of the letters but I could see that they were there and I got a few right by guessing. So now my last resort is to go to my eye doctor and have him fill out a form that says I can still see well enough to drive, but it's completely at his discretion. I'm 29yrs old, I love my car, I love to drive and now I might loose my license because I can't see 20/20. I've put many hours into my car and had planned on putting many more into it. I thought I'd have a life filled with modding and racing cars.

there is no cure (yet) for macular dystrophy. There are only a few things I can do to help stall the effects but basically it's only going to get wore. I don't want this to be a sympathy story, I only wanted to vent my frustration. (gun) (pissed) :mad:

Thanks for listening,
Boost
 
That sucks!

I came into this thread expecting to hear somebody whining about losing their license because they got caught speeding or racing or something like that .. Boy, was I wrong.

They can't correct or 'help' the problem by doing that laser eye surgery stuff?
 
Rush said:
That sucks!

I came into this thread expecting to hear somebody whining about losing their license because they got caught speeding or racing or something like that .. Boy, was I wrong.

They can't correct or 'help' the problem by doing that laser eye surgery stuff?

that's the bad thing, kids loose their license for reckless driving or whatever and get it back in a matter of time, other people loose their license for driving while intoxicated and get it back. I can't read a damn vision test and BAM! no license for the rest of my life. It's not like I'm going blind at all, I just can't focus on really small things that are far away.

At this point they don't have a laser surgery for this condition. There are only vitamins that can help prolong the effects.
 
oh man. I really feel for ya. they think my wife is starting to show the early sign of it, and she's only 26. I hope the vitamins can help you hold out until there is a surgery, or treatment.
 
same think happened to my cousin and his eye doctor filled out the form for him. I hope things pan out for you man, good luck.
 
yeah, at this point I'm hoping the doc will sign it and I'll be clear for another 5 yrs. Or he might restrict me to day time driving only which I could deal with.

I guess if it doesn't work out in the end I'll just have to teach my wife how to drive.
 
That freaking sucks!

So basically you can see fine but if you try to focus on a point your screwed?
 
1Sleepy93 said:
That freaking sucks!

So basically you can see fine but if you try to focus on a point your screwed?

in a nut shell, yes. I've learned / tricked my brain a little to where I can sometimes focus really well on things but at times depending on the day and how much I've had to strain my eyes it can be had to read small print. it's freaking weird and extremely annoying.
 
sorry to hear about this...hopefully your doc will come through.

how the hell do you read the forums if you cant focus?!
 
man that sucks. Sorry about your luck. Can't you renew it online? Thats what I did. It cost three dollars more and they use your old pic. But I couldnt pass the eye test either cause I didnt have my new contacts in by the time I needed to renew. Worked like a charm. Good luck
 
speed1016 said:
man that sucks. Sorry about your luck. Can't you renew it online? Thats what I did. It cost three dollars more and they use your old pic. But I couldnt pass the eye test either cause I didnt have my new contacts in by the time I needed to renew. Worked like a charm. Good luck
thanks for the tip! I'll check it out right now.

edit: no dice, stupid MN
 
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so just to clearify, your eye condition WASN'T caused by excessive masterbation? If not I may be introuble myself. lol

you said you didnt want sympathy. Im sure your doctor will sign the form. One way or the other this has to work out.
 
Speed_Racer said:
so just to clearify, your eye condition WASN'T caused by excessive masterbation? If not I may be introuble myself. lol

you said you didnt want sympathy. Im sure your doctor will sign the form. One way or the other this has to work out.
lol, nice. I think it was just the initial shock that someday I might loose my license for something that I can't control. I've wanted to race cars my whole life and a stupid eye condition is going to get in the way.

WEAK!
 
quit complaining, pluck out the eye and grab someone else's but on a more serious note, let's hope the doc gives you a few more years to enjoy this crazy passion of this community.
 
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(just ******* with his head)
 
wow...that's tough..let's hope the dr signs off....my friends mom has:
Macular degeneration....i guess its similar?
 
I kind of know what you are going through. Im 19 and I am already legally blind in my left eye (20/400 corrected) and my right eye is gradually getting worse (~20/55-20/60 corrected). When I first got my license my vision was 20/40 in my left eye and 20/50 in my right eye. Within a year my vision got alot worse. I still see great driving except for when I try to see street signs at night. I hope I dont have the problem you have when I renew my license.

Btw, the condition I have is Familiar Exudative Vitreoretinopathy (FEVR). Its a progressive disease that stretches the retina, causing blood to pool in the back of the eye. The ultimate risk is permanent detachment of the retina, which results in total blindness. Its a rare hereditary condition. Some of my immediate family memebers on my dad's side have it. We are somewhat of a science research project. Every other year, some doctors take our blood and they are trying to analyze it to try to find the gene to prevent it from happening in the future.

I love driving and love my Speed6 and would hate to have it taken away from me.
 
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mspdfreak said:
welfk f efjf Kewrjawelf wefalj feljld wfljf fwepok sldkj. Tjoiis hoiwe kjh gisnd. Pionyt uht we dfipo vcsl;k sdflk't so wfd 0pfff ewrpof

(just ******* with his head)
LMAO. fortunately for now I can read it, so at first I was like WTF?
 
bazooka joe said:
wow...that's tough..let's hope the dr signs off....my friends mom has:
Macular degeneration....i guess its similar?
it's similar yes but not quite as extreme

skid said:
I kind of know what you are going through. Im 19 and I am already legally blind in my left eye (20/400 corrected) and my right eye is gradually getting worse (~20/55-20/60 corrected). When I first got my license my vision was 20/40 in my left eye and 20/50 in my right eye. Within a year my vision got alot worse. I still see great driving except for when I try to see street signs at night. I hope I dont have the problem you have when I renew my registration.

Btw, the condition I have is Familiar Exudative Vitreoretinopathy (FEVR). Its a progressive disease that stretches the retina, causing blood to pool in the back of the eye. The ultimate risk is permanent detachment of the retina, which results in total blindness. Its a rare hereditary condition. Some of my immediate family memebers on my dad's side has it. We are somewhat of a science project. Every other year, some doctors take our blood and they are trying to analyze it to try to find the gene to cure it.

I love driving and love my Speed6 and would hate to have it taken away from me.
I know exactly what your talking about, that sucks man. Basically my deal is that my macula is also being streched to the point that it's starting to develop holes, it's these holes that make it so I can't focus on tiny things. I feel for you man. I guess we can just take it one day at a time and enjoy driving everywhere.
 
well for now, the only treatment there is to delay the progression of the disease.. LASIK wont work because it only targets the cornea (anterior part of the eye) to correct errors of refraction.. The macula (responsible for central vision) is in the retina and its in the inside of your eye..

I feel your pain dude...
 

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