Macular degeneration, cataracts or glaucoma don't automatically end a person's driving: depending on state law, reduced vision can mean driving with restrictions, such as daytime only. So can you drive with macular degeneration or cataracts? The honest answer is "sometimes, with limits," and the limits are set by the state that issues the license, not by a single national rule.

In This Guide

How Macular Degeneration, Cataracts and Glaucoma Affect Driving

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) names four common eye diseases behind driving problems in its 2023 fact sheet for medical professionals: cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration and glaucoma. An eye injury can do it too.

They don't all hit driving the same way, and that matters for which restriction, if any, makes sense:

  • Cataracts: NHTSA says cataracts commonly affect visual acuity (sharpness) and contrast sensitivity.
  • Glaucoma: drivers who lose peripheral vision to glaucoma may have trouble noticing traffic signs, cars and pedestrians about to cross their path, according to NHTSA.
  • Macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy: NHTSA lists both among the causes of impaired visual function. Your parent's eye doctor is the person to say what the disease has done to their sight so far.

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) notes that older drivers may have trouble seeing clearly at night, and that glare from oncoming headlights or streetlights can be a problem. NHTSA advises that people who have trouble recovering from glare should limit driving at night and in low light, such as bad weather.

The NIA also recommends a dilated eye exam every one to two years for anyone 60 or older, and an up-to-date prescription for anyone who needs glasses or contacts to see far away while driving. If your parent hasn't had a dilated exam in a while, that's the first appointment to book.

Is There a National Vision Standard for Driving?

No. The 20/40 figure you'll often see is NHTSA's referral line for doctors, not a national licensing law. Its fact sheet tells clinicians to recommend an eye specialist when vision is the only issue and acuity is "below the standard 20/40, or your State-specific guidelines," and to make sure every driver follows their state's requirements.

Each state sets its own bar. Three examples show how much they differ:

Maine adds its own field rule: a continuous horizontal visual field of 110 degrees is required to meet its vision standard.

So the same eye exam result can mean different things in different states. A parent whose best eye measures 20/50 with glasses would fall short of New York's 20/40 line but clear Georgia's 20/60. That's why the useful question isn't "what's the vision requirement for a driver's license" in general. It's "what does my parent's state require, and what does it do when someone falls short?"

When vision gets checked also varies. Maine requires a vision test at every renewal from age 62, Georgia at each renewal from 64, and Utah at renewal from 65.,, New York requires a vision exam with every license renewal. For the age-based renewal rules in other states, see our guide to older driver license renewal rules by state.

If Your Parent Fails the Vision Test at the DMV

It's a jolt to hear "you didn't pass" at the counter. In the states we looked at, though, a failed screening usually opens a process that runs through an eye doctor. Here's what happens next in four of them.

Georgia. A driver who can't pass the vision screening at a Department of Driver Services (DDS) Customer Service Center gets a Vision Report Form (DS-274). A licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist completes it, the driver submits it to DDS, and DDS evaluates it to decide whether the person is eligible for a license. Georgia drivers 64 and older renewing online can upload the completed DS-274 or a detailed vision exam dated within the last two years; if Georgia DDS denies the online vision submission, the renewal has to be finished in person.

New York. The MV-80L, the Eye Test Report for Medical Review Unit, is the form for people who can't pass the DMV's basic vision screening and need an eye care practitioner to certify that they meet the minimum vision requirements, according to the New York DMV. A driver who needs telescopic lenses to pass sends the completed MV-80L to the DMV's Medical Review Unit.

Utah. A driver who doesn't meet the Driver License Division's standard, with or without glasses, has to get a Certificate of Visual Examination from an eye doctor.

Maine. Don't plan on a road test as a workaround. The Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles medical rules say a road test can't be requested to get a license for someone who failed to meet the vision standards unless they've already met the rule's "exceptional case" criteria.

Before that appointment, check something simple: the NIA's advice to keep a driving prescription current applies here. New glasses won't fix macular degeneration, but an out-of-date prescription is worth ruling out. Then call your own state's DMV and ask three things: which form the eye doctor needs to fill out, where it gets sent, and whether a restricted license is possible.

Restricted Licenses That Can Keep a Parent Driving With Macular Degeneration

A failed screening doesn't have to mean no license at all. NHTSA tells clinicians that any vision condition that lowers acuity or visual field may leave a driver unfit to drive without restrictions, depending on state law, and it lists the kinds of limits it means: familiar surroundings, non-rush-hour traffic, low-speed areas, daytime and good weather. Whether your parent can get one, and which, depends on the state. Here's how three states handle it.

New York Maine Georgia
Glasses or contacts "B" restriction if lenses are needed to pass Required if uncorrected acuity is worse than 20/40 in both eyes (code B) Corrective-lenses restriction if lenses are needed to pass
Daylight only Added if an eye care professional says night vision is impaired Permitted at 20/50 to 20/100 in the better eye (code G) Not covered here
Telescopic or bioptic lenses Allowed with a "TELESCOPIC LENSES" restriction, via form MV-80L May not be used to meet the acuity requirement The DS-274 can document the need; worse than 20/60 but better than 20/200 can be considered under the vision rule
Follow-up Restriction explained on the back of the license Removing daylight-only takes a doctor's report, a clean record and a night driving exam Bioptic restriction needs updated medical information every two years

The table draws on the New York DMV, the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles' medical rules and the Georgia DDS page for drivers 64 and over, plus Georgia's vision rule.,,,

A few things the table can't show on its own:

Daylight-only is the restriction most likely to matter. For a parent whose trouble is mostly glare and darkness, a daylight-only license like New York's or Maine's (see the table above) can keep the weekday errands while taking away the drives that scare everyone.,

Bioptic telescopes are where states split. A bioptic is a small telescope mounted on a pair of glasses. New York requires a driver who needs telescopic lenses to pass the vision test to submit form MV-80L to its Medical Review Unit, and then puts a "TELESCOPIC LENSES" restriction on the license. Maine's rules say bioptic telescopic lenses may not be used to meet the visual acuity requirements. Georgia's rule says people with acuity worse than 20/60 but better than 20/200, using glasses, contacts or the carrier portion of bioptic spectacles, can be considered eligible for a license if they aren't otherwise disqualified under its bioptic provisions, and the DS-274 can document the need for bioptic lenses. If your parent has macular degeneration and their eye doctor mentions bioptics, ask the DMV about your state's rule before anyone buys a pair.

Maine's law allows other limits too. The Maine Secretary of State may restrict a license to daylight hours, to a designated area, or to any other condition it decides is in the interest of highway safety.

These three states are examples, not a survey. Your parent's state may handle any row of that table differently, so treat the DMV's answer as the only one that counts.

Cataract Surgery, Treatment and Getting Restrictions Lifted

Cataracts are the case where treatment can change the answer: NHTSA's fact sheet says surgical treatment for cataracts can help drivers remain behind the wheel safely. If cataract surgery is on the table, our guide to whether Medicare covers cataract surgery walks through what Medicare pays for.

A restriction isn't always permanent, either:

  • Corrective lenses (New York). If a driver has surgery and no longer needs glasses or contacts, New York's corrective-lenses restriction may be removed. The driver has to prove they can pass a vision test without corrective lenses.
  • Daylight-only (Maine). Maine's rules let the restriction come off when an optometrist or ophthalmologist reports that no other eye conditions or relevant factors affect safe driving, a review of the driving record shows safe operation, and the driver passes a night-time driving exam.

With a progressive disease such as macular degeneration, the question tends to run the other way: how often the state will want a new eye report. That's next.

Living With a Restricted License

A restricted license only works if your parent sticks to it, and states treat that seriously. In New York, the explanation of any restriction is printed on the back of the license, and driving without required corrective lenses is a violation of the law. In Maine, driving in violation of a condition or restriction on the license is a Class E crime.

Expect more paperwork over time if the eye disease is progressive. NHTSA's guidance for families says that even a driver who is re-examined and passes may face periodic reviews, and that the DMV may require a report from an eye care specialist if the person has a progressive eye disease such as macular degeneration. In Georgia, a driver with a bioptic lenses restriction must give DDS updated medical information every two years.

It helps to put the eye appointments and any DMV report deadlines on one shared calendar, so a missed form doesn't turn into a lapsed license.

When Vision Isn't the Only Problem

Sometimes the eyes are only part of the story. NHTSA tells clinicians to recommend an on-road assessment by a driver rehabilitation specialist for people whose visual acuity is below the standard along with other conditions, such as cognitive problems or reduced hearing.

A driver rehabilitation specialist is often an occupational therapist with extra training in driver rehabilitation. The specialist looks at vision, thinking and movement skills, and may test in the car and on the road. Depending on what they find, they can recommend rehabilitation, vehicle changes, strategies such as avoiding rush hour, restrictions such as daylight driving only, or that the person stop driving. The NIA says the state DMV or a doctor can recommend someone to test driving skills, and that there may be fees for these assessments.

A clinician education handout from the Department of Veterans Affairs calls this kind of evaluation particularly useful when people disagree about whether an older driver is safe.

Talking With Your Parent About It

A vision diagnosis can land as "you're losing your independence," even when the realistic outcome is a daytime-only license. It may help to lead with what's still possible rather than what isn't. "Let's find out what the DMV would let you do" is an easier conversation than "you have to stop."

If the conversation stalls, our guide on when an older adult should stop driving covers warning signs and how to raise it. If your parent keeps driving when it isn't safe, reporting an unsafe driver to the DMV explains how a family report and a DMV review work. And if driving does end, giving up a driver's license covers keeping a photo ID and dealing with the car.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you drive with macular degeneration?

Sometimes, with restrictions. It depends on how much the disease has affected your parent's sight and on their state's law. See Restricted Licenses That Can Keep a Parent Driving With Macular Degeneration for how the limits work.

What happens if you fail the vision test at the DMV?

In the states we looked at, a failed screening leads to an eye doctor's report rather than an automatic end to driving., Each state uses its own form, so ask your DMV which one applies; If Your Parent Fails the Vision Test at the DMV walks through examples.

Can you drive with cataracts?

It depends on whether your parent still meets their state's vision standard, which is a question for their eye doctor and the DMV. Treatment can change the answer; see Cataract Surgery, Treatment and Getting Restrictions Lifted.

What is a daylight-only driver's license?

It's a license restriction that limits driving to daylight hours., The table in Restricted Licenses That Can Keep a Parent Driving With Macular Degeneration shows when New York and Maine apply it.

Learn More

CaregiverWhen Should an Older Adult Stop Driving? How to Know and What to DoThere's no set age to stop driving. The warning signs it may be time, how to have the conversation, dementia and driving, and how to stay mobile after. CaregiverOlder Driver License Renewal Rules by StateLicense renewal rules for older drivers by state: when renewal moves in person, adds a vision test or shortens the license, each row cited to its source. CaregiverHow to Report an Unsafe Older Driver to the DMVIn almost every state you can report an unsafe elderly driver to the DMV in writing. What to include, what happens next, and whether your parent will know. CaregiverGiving Up a Driver's License: How to Surrender It and Keep a Photo IDHow to surrender a driver's license and keep a photo ID (free in some states), plus what to do with the car's plates and the disability parking placard. MedicareDoes Medicare Cover Cataract Surgery?Medicare Part B covers cataract surgery plus one pair of glasses or contacts after it, but only from a Medicare supplier. See 2026 costs and lens limits.

Find personalized help sorting out a parent's vision, license and driving options at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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