Visual Requirements for HGV Drivers

To ensure road safety, HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) drivers in the UK must meet specific visual standards. These requirements are set by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and are crucial for maintaining the safety of both the driver and other road users.

Visual Acuity: HGV drivers must have a visual acuity of at least 6/7.5 (0.8) on the Snellen scale in their best eye and at least 6/60 (0.1) in the other eye¹. This means that the driver should be able to see clearly at a distance of 6 meters what a person with normal vision can see at 7.5 meters.

Corrective Lenses: If glasses are needed to meet these standards, their corrective power must not exceed (+) 8 dioptres². There is no specific limit for the corrective power of contact lenses.

Field of Vision: HGV drivers must have an uninterrupted horizontal visual field of at least 160 degrees, with at least 70 degrees to the left and right, and 30 degrees up and down¹. No significant defects should be present within the central 30 degrees of the visual field.

These stringent requirements help ensure that HGV drivers can operate their vehicles safely, reducing the risk of accidents caused by poor vision.

Summary:

Now: the better eye must achieve at least 6/7.5
on the Snellen chart. Glasses must not need
to be greater than +8 dioptres.
The other eye must have at least 6/60.
Uncorrected vision must be at least 3/60.
Monoccularity – Grandfather rights still exist
if you were a licence holder already prior to 1996.
Visual acuity is part of the HGV medical examination
and can be done by any doctor who has
the necessary new DVLA standard eye charts.
Otherwise this part can be done by an optician separately.