Photo: Pavel Danilyuk / Pexels. Illustrative photograph.
To drive a car in Ireland you need binocular visual acuity of at least 6/12 (0.5 decimal) on a Snellen chart, using glasses or contact lenses if you need them. Your field of vision must be at least 120 degrees across, extending at least 50 degrees to the left and right and 20 degrees up and down, with no defects within the central 20 degrees. You can drive with sight in one eye once you have adapted, and colour blindness does not affect your licence at all.
These are the Group 1 standards in Sláinte agus Tiomáint (Chapter 7, 13th edition, April 2026). Questions about your own eyes belong with your optometrist or ophthalmologist.
The Group 1 eyesight standard
| Standard | Group 1 (car, motorcycle, tractor) | Tell the NDLS? |
|---|---|---|
| Acuity | At least 6/12 (0.5 decimal) with both eyes, corrected if needed | Yes, if you do not meet it |
| Field of vision | At least 120 degrees horizontal; at least 50 degrees left and right and 20 degrees up and down; no defects within the central 20 degrees | Yes, for a significant field defect |
| One eye | Allowed once your doctor says you have adapted, the remaining eye meets the standard and has a normal field | Only if you were advised to stop driving for 6 months or more |
| Colour blindness | Allowed, no restriction | No |
| Night blindness | Daylight driving allowed if acuity and field standards are met; decided case by case | Yes |
| Double vision | Stop driving when detected; drive again once it is controlled by glasses (with or without prism) or a patch | Yes |
Driving with sight in one eye
For licensing, “monocular” means complete loss of sight in one eye; if there is any light perception you are not considered monocular. You may drive when a doctor confirms you have adapted, your remaining eye meets the 6/12 standard and its field has no defect caused by disease. You only need to tell the NDLS if you were advised to stop driving for 6 months or longer. If you wear a patch to control double vision, the one-eye rules apply.
Progressive eye conditions
If you have a condition likely to cause progressive loss of acuity or field, the guidelines say the NDLS should be told and, on medical advice, a 1 or 3-year licence may be appropriate so your sight is reviewed regularly.
- Glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa and similar: judged against the field standard above.
- Cataract: you may drive if you meet the acuity and field standards; a specialist examination is advised if there is doubt.
- Double vision: exceptionally, stable uncorrected double vision lasting 6 months or more may be acceptable with medical support showing you have adapted.
Glasses, contact lenses and code 01
If you need correction to meet the standard, your permit or licence carries code 01, meaning you must wear your glasses or contact lenses whenever you drive.
Bioptic telescopes
The guidelines state that bioptic telescope devices are not accepted for driving by the NDLS. You cannot use one to reach the acuity standard. More detail, including the GB position, is in Bioptic telescopes and driving in the UK and Ireland.
How your eyesight is checked
For a learner permit, your eyesight is confirmed on a D502 eyesight report, or on a D501 medical report if you need one for another condition. Who can complete each form, and when a new report is needed, is covered in Medical and eyesight requirements for an Irish learner permit, so it is not repeated here. If your eyes may be affected by diabetes, see Diabetes and your Irish learner permit.
Common questions
What does 6/12 mean in practice?
It means that, using both eyes, you can read at 6 metres the line a person with standard vision can read at 12 metres. Your optometrist measures it on a Snellen chart.
I am colour blind. Do I need to declare it?
No. Colour blindness is permitted with no restriction, and you need not notify the NDLS.
Want to understand the eyesight report before your appointment? Our sister site Driving Eyesight Test has an Ireland eyesight report page on drivingeyesighttest.com. It is a practice guide only, not an eye test.
Back to the hub: Driving with a medical condition or disability in Ireland.
Sources
- Road Safety Authority and National Office for Traffic Medicine, “Sláinte agus Tiomáint: Medical Fitness to Drive Guidelines”, 13th edition, April 2026, Chapter 7 “Visual disorders” (rsa.ie)
- National Driver Licence Service, “Vision and driving” leaflet and eyesight report information (ndls.ie)