Photo: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
New York lets you drive with telescopic (bioptic) lenses if you need them to pass the vision test. Your eye doctor completes form MV-80L, the Eye Test Report for Medical Review Unit, and the DMV’s Medical Review Unit adds a “TELESCOPIC LENS” restriction to your record, so you must wear them whenever you drive. You must have used the lenses for at least 60 days before filing. Clip-on and hand-held telescopes aren’t accepted, and you are limited to a Class D or DJ license.
New York telescopic lens rules at a glance
| Topic | New York rule |
|---|---|
| Form | MV-80L, Eye Test Report for Medical Review Unit (current revision dated 5/22) |
| Who decides | The DMV Medical Review Unit (MRU) |
| Lens use before applying | At least 60 days |
| Type of lens | Clip-on or hand-held telescopes are not accepted |
| License classes | Class D or DJ (junior) only; no CDL, motorcycle or moped license |
| Restriction | “TELESCOPIC LENS”: you must wear the lenses when driving |
| Road test | May be required if you haven’t taken one wearing the lenses |
| Acuity through the telescope and minimum carrier acuity | Check with the MRU |
Step by step: getting a junior permit or license with telescopic lenses
- Use your lenses for 60 days first. Keep the fitting date from your eye doctor.
- Get the MV-80L completed by your optometrist or ophthalmologist.
- Send it to the Medical Review Unit, as the form instructs. Eye test providers can’t submit results for telescopic lens wearers through the DMV’s online Vision Registry, so the MV-80L is the route.
- The MRU reviews it and adds the TELESCOPIC LENS restriction to your record. It appears on your learner permit and license.
- Take the knowledge test and practice as any New York learner does: see learning to drive in New York.
- Road test wearing the lenses, if the MRU requires it.
Removing the restriction
If you later no longer need telescopic lenses, you can send a new MV-80L to have the restriction removed.
Training
Ask the Medical Review Unit about training. Training with a driver rehabilitation specialist who has bioptic experience is still worth asking about, especially before the road test. See learning to drive with a disability.
Common questions
Can I get a motorcycle license with a bioptic in New York?
No. Telescopic lens wearers can’t hold a motorcycle, moped or commercial license.
What acuity do I need through the telescope?
Ask the Medical Review Unit before you book, and ask your eye doctor about your own vision.
What is the normal New York vision standard?
20/40 in at least one eye, with or without corrective lenses. See the Northeast vision rules.
Compare New York with every state in bioptic driving laws by state, or see neighboring Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. Restriction codes: explained here.
All medical and disability topics: the US guide to driving with a medical condition or disability.
Want to practise the eyesight check? Our sister site Driving Eyesight Test has a free US letter chart on drivingeyesighttest.com. It is a practice screen, not an eye test.
Sources
- New York DMV, “Eye Test Report for Medical Review Unit (MV-80L)” (dmv.ny.gov)
- New York DMV, “Driver License Restrictions for Medical Conditions” (dmv.ny.gov)
- New York DMV, “Vision Registry Information for Providers” (dmv.ny.gov)
- New York DMV, “Driver’s Manual” (dmv.ny.gov)