Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of bioptic telescopic glasses to enable those with visual impairment to drive within the UK.

The use of bioptic devices and the possible implications on fitness to drive was discussed at a meeting of the Secretary of State for Transport’s Honorary Medical Advisory Panel on Driving and Visual Disorders meeting in October 2022.

The panel agreed that bioptics are only used on an average of 2% of driving time, thus resulting in the remaining 98% of driving time occurring with impaired visual acuity. The panel considered that the use of the bioptic device impinges upon the binocular visual field. Therefore, the panel agreed the use of such devices remain unacceptable for driving.