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Q&A
What are the vision requirements to get a DOT medical card?
What if I have monocular vision?
Can I wear contact lenses to do the vision test?
What if I have had laser eye surgery?
I need to obtain a vision waiver. Where can I get the forms?
What are the vision requirements to get a DOT medical card?
You must have a distant visual acuity of at least 20/40 with or without corrective lenses:
- see at least 20/40 with both eyes together
- see at least 20/40 with the right eye
- see at least 20/40 with the left eye.
Monovision is a disqualification. Use of a contact lens in one eye for distant visual acuity and another lens in the other eye for near vision is not acceptable, nor are telescopic lenses acceptable for driving a commercial motor vehicle.
Exemption: A driver with monocular vision may be able to get a Federal Vision Exemption Certificate, if medically fit for duty in all other categories of the physical exam.
What if I have monocular vision?
If you pass all other aspects of the DOT physical, and you meet all vision requirements in the functioning eye, then you may be considered for a Federal Vision Exemption.
Can I wear contact lenses to do the vision test?
You are permitted to wear contact lenses provided you’re used to wearing them and have a good tolerance for wearing contacts. Be aware that monovision is a disqualification, so use of a contact lens in one eye for distant visual acuity and another lens in the other eye for near vision is not acceptable.
What if I have had laser eye surgery?
Provided you meet the vision requirements, you should have no problem.
I am legally blind in one eye from an injury? With documentation from my eye specialist can I pass the DOT physical?
This type of injury will require documentation.
If you are going to drive only within your state borders, it will be easier. Just check with your DMV to see what the states rules and regulations are.
To pursue an interstate medical card will require an exemption that you can only get from FMCSA. Check out the requirements to determine if this is something you want to pursue. It is possible, but a bit tough to do. Lots of hoops, but do-able.
I need to obtain a vision waiver. Where can I get the forms?
FMCSA has a Vision Exemption Program which has specific requirements for each application. You will get a decision within 180 days of completing your application. To find out more and get the forms go to this FMCSA official webpage.
I have 20/20 vision corrected, right eye. 20/200 uncorrectable in my left eye, 70 degree plus horizontal left and right. Does this fail the DOT physical?
DOT requires you have a minimum of 20/40 vision in each eye, and in both eyes together, either non-corrective or with corrective lenses. Your peripheral vision is within normal limits.
All that being said, you could be driving skills tested with a FMCSA exemption. Check with the FMCSA for the requirements for that particular exemption.
I’ve been a CDL driver for 16 years. Last week, for my DOT physical the doctor made me do the color test from a book with numbers and dots. I could get only half of them right. I have always been able to see the colors red, green and amber and pass my DOT physical. Now the book test has made me fail the color portion of the DOT physical. What’s going on with this?
It looks like the doctor is trying to determine if you may be color blind. But the primary reason for the DOT physical color test is to determine your ability to distinguish red, amber/yellow and green – not a color blindness examination. Not really sure as to why they would do this. Especially since you have been driving for so long. You are correct to question this.
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When you renew your license and if you fail your vision and you become intrastate do you lose your hazmat endorsement?
@ Jackie f
That would be a state related question. Check with your local drivers license department for the best answer.
No I have Texas intrastate cdl with hazmat
I have been driving for 3 years no accidents or nothing i just recently had an eye appointment with new glasses and I am not reading at least 20/40 in my left eye. My license expires in August so i have to redo a vision test and will most likely fail it. Can I apply for a waiver or do i have to wait until i have some experience driving with this issue with my eye
@ Shane F
Have your eye doctor complete a full eye and visual examination. Hopefully he will be able to correct, with glasses or contacts, to a 20/40 level. If not, you can apply for a FMCSA visual waiver. That may entail a SPE specialist to perform the final driving ability examination. You have a little time, so let your eye doctor do all he can first, then see if you really need the waiver.
I have a patient that is a Commercial truck driver and had a retinal detachment in his left eye. Currenty his vision in that eye is 20/250, we have hopes of returning more vision but with his recurrent retinal detachment not much vision is expected to return due to damage done. With the vision waiver form. His right eye is correctable to 20/16.Please advise
@ RCT CRC
Depending on the class driver you are dealing with will determine which steps to take next. Class A drivers are held at a much higher standard then lesser class drivers. As a class A driver he will need to be fully released and a vision waiver. Also a driving specialist examination certificate to determine his abilities with his visual loss. But it is all very do-able.
Is it acceptable to get laser eye surgery and then have contact lenses after the surgery as long as it meets the vision guidelines?
@ Robert R
Having laser surgery to correct a visual impairment is totally acceptable. Once you are cleared to return to work, even if wearing corrective lenses or contacts lenses is fine according to DOT/FMCSA. You will need to do a new DOT physical examination and disclose that you are wearing contact lenses. The CME will mark your medical card as using corrective lenses to drive. ***Side note: do not let your doctors prescribe a mix of short distance in one eye and long distance in the other. It would then be classified as mono vision and would force you to wear glasses to correct the visual differences, according to FMCSA.
I recently had a DOT physical and because I told them I had cataracts ( which are not ready to be removed. I see 20/20 with corrective lenses) they only renewed my physical for one year. I had a letter from my eye doctor stating my 20/20 with corrective lenses. They said it was because of the cataracts. This has never happened before. Is this correct?
@ Debra B
The CME is being safe in regards to your overall field of vision. The FMCSA guides indicate if a driver is presenting with any visual field questions, then be on the safe, and lowest risk, side.
I live in Massachusetts, I recently got Lasik done in only my right eye and my left eye I still use a contact. Both eyes together and separately I can see 20/40. I was turned down to finish the exam because the Dr. said I cannot do the vision test with only one eye having a corrective lens. Which I am confused about because regardless of only one eye having a contact I still can see 20/40 in both. I do not have monovision. Do you think the Dr. thought I did? If not can I pass?
@ Josh
If you wear one contact lens to see 20/40 or better and one eye sees 20/40 or better without a corrective lens, then there is no reason you should not pass the vision test. Your medical card should indicate that corrective lenses must be worn while driving.
I had surgery on both eyes. Right eye I have 20/30. Left eye there is 1/4 of oil still in eye, live in Illinois. Can I return to work or pass DOT physical?
@ Melvin E
If you are a class A driver, then no you will not pass a DOT/FMCSA medical certification examination at this time.
I am a first timer in getting a medical card for driving a commercial vehicle. It is a 12,000 lbs one ton pick-up pulling a 12,000 lbs trailer, therefore I don’t need a CDL but require a medical card. I need a vision waiver due to my left eye not meeting the 20-40 metric and I will need to travel into 2 states.
My question is does the federal vision waiver require 3 three years of experience? As I noted above I am new to this field of work and do not have any experience driving a commercial vehicle.
I lifted the information below from the US DOT Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration site on information needed to file for a waiver, D2 seems to indicate I need the 3 years experience.driving a DMV with my vision deficiency. I am hoping this requirement doesn’t apply to a new CMV driver.
D. Supporting Documents
Your application must include supporting documents for each of the areas listed below,
showing that:
1. You now possess a valid “intrastate” CDL or a license (non-CDL) to operate a CMV
(e.g., a photostatic copy of both sides of the driver’s license or certification from the
State licensing agency showing the type and effective dates of your last license);
2. You operated a CMV with your vision deficiency for the 3-year period immediately
preceding the date of this application, by submitting the following:
a. A signed statement from your present and/or past employer(s) on company
letterhead. If letterhead is unavailable, you must obtain a notarized statement
from the employer(s). In the event your previous employer(s) are no longer in
business, or you were operating as an independent motor carrier, submit a
sworn notarized statement, signed by you.
b. Information in the statements must indicate the company’s DOT # or ICC #; if
your job was driving a CMV; what type of vehicle was operated; GVWR of
the vehicle; whether you drove full-time or part-time (list hours per week
@ Tom H
You fall under your states regulations and not DOT/FMCSA.
State variances differ from state to state. Best check with your local drivers license department for your best answer.