Why Truck Drivers Need Their Eyes Checked Regularly

When looking for truck driving jobs, having good eyesight is a requirement. That applies to experienced truck drivers too, who should have regular eye checkup to ensure that their eyes stay on the lookout to avoid the risks of collision. In certain states in the US, truck drivers are required to undergo a visual exam and a DOT medical test every two years to be eligible for commercial driving and operate on public roads.

What Are the Vision Requirements for Truck Drivers?

Truck drivers ought to keep their eyes protected by taking cautious measures like wearing sunglasses to prevent against UV rays, or protective glasses to keep away dust particles and debris. It requires healthy eyes to pass the commercial driving test:

• Truck drivers need to have a clear vision with or without corrective lenses. It’s a requirement to have a distant visual acuity of 20/40 with each eye or with both eyes together.
• Those with a complete loss of sight in one eye may still be eligible for a Federal Vision Exemption, only if they can pass all the other vision tests.
• They are also required to pass the DOT physical color test, to ensure that they can easily distinguish the standard colors of traffic control signals including green, yellow, and red.

What Are the Options for Those with Eye Conditions?

It’s a requirement for CDL drivers to have a clear vision to operate commercial trucks on public roads. Here are ways to correct different condition to stand a chance:

• Where tests show that truckers need specialized eye treatment to correct their conditions, they are prescribed to use eyeglasses or contact lenses. They’re required to have their glasses always while driving and have regular eye tests for effective vision.
• The advanced technology has led to safer and easier sight correction such as Laser vision correction, which helps to enhance nighttime vision.
• Some eye conditions such as presbyopia that worsen with age call for eye tests every year to ascertain whether a prescription should be upgraded.
• Truckers who seek more than reading glasses to correct refractive errors are advised to consider using progressive lenses as they offer a gradual transition between varying visual distances.

Bottom Line

It’s important for truck drivers to maintain a healthy lifestyle, which includes eating healthy foods, engaging in regular exercises, wearing protective gadgets, and going for a regular eye checkup. Visiting an eye specialist will ensure truck drivers are not only meeting the vision requirements necessary for retaining their profession but will also enable them to diagnose the underlying conditions and get treated early.