Eye Test After Failing Twice: What Happens Next

Introduction

Eye test after failing twice is a stressful situation, because after two failed Sehtest results, you may feel that your driving licence is gone and that there is nothing you can do. That is not true. Failing an eye test twice in Germany has a clear procedure, and it does not end your chance of driving. It means that the standard test is not enough, and that you need a more detailed examination by an ophthalmologist, and in some cases, a medical report and a special decision by the driving licence office. Eye test after failing twice is a common situation, because many people fail the first test because of stress or tired eyes, and fail the second test because the glasses prescription is wrong.

Eye test after failing twice has rules that are different from failing once. If you fail once at the optician, you can go to a different optician, get new glasses, and take the test again. If you fail twice, the optician will usually refuse to do a third test, and the licence office will expect an Augenaerztliches Gutachten, an eye report from an ophthalmologist, instead of a simple certificate. That report is more detailed, because it measures your visual acuity, your visual field, your eye pressure, and the health of your retina, and the doctor writes a recommendation for the licence office. Eye test after failing twice is the point where the system changes from a screening test to a medical assessment.

In this article, you will learn what happens after an eye test after failing twice in Germany, what the ophthalmologist examination involves, how much it costs, how to prepare for it, and what the licence office can decide. You will also find advice on how to avoid a third failure, on which licences are still possible, and on what to do if the licence office says no. By the end, you will know how to get back on the road, even after two failed eye tests.

Why Do People Fail Twice?

Eye test after failing twice usually has a simple reason, and it is worth finding that reason before you take the next test. The most common reason is a wrong glasses prescription. If your glasses are too weak or too strong, the chart will be blurry, and the test will fail, and a new prescription is often enough. Eye test after failing twice is often caused by a prescription that is more than two years old, or by glasses that have scratched lenses, or by contact lenses that are dry. An up-to-date eye test at an optician, with a new prescription, can solve most of these problems.

Eye test after failing twice can also be caused by your eyes themselves, not by your glasses. A cataract, which is a cloudy lens in the eye, makes the chart blurry and dim, and a cataract operation can fix it. A retinal disease, such as macular degeneration, or diabetic retinopathy, can affect the central vision, and it cannot be fixed by glasses. Eye test after failing twice can also be caused by stress and tired eyes, because a tired eye cannot focus well, and a test taken at the end of a long day is more likely to fail. For that reason, the advice in this article is to fix the cause, not to repeat the test until you pass by chance.

The Ophthalmologist Examination

Eye test after failing twice means a visit to the ophthalmologist. The doctor will look at the front of your eye with a slit lamp, check the lens for a cataract, measure your eye pressure, and look at the retina through dilated pupils. The doctor will measure your visual acuity with an eye chart, first with one eye covered, then with the other, and then with both eyes, and the doctor will measure your visual field, to check for blind spots. The examination also includes a colour vision test if you are applying for a Group 2 licence, and the doctor will ask about your medical history, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and medicines that can affect your eyesight.

Eye test after failing twice is reported by the ophthalmologist in a written report, the Augenaerztliches Gutachten, which is sent to the licence office, or given to you to pass on. The report says whether you meet the visual acuity requirement for the licence class, whether you need glasses, whether a restriction should be added to the licence, such as daytime driving only, and whether you should be re-examined after a set time. Eye test after failing twice takes more time than a simple Sehtest, and the examination usually takes between 30 and 60 minutes, and it costs between 100 and 250 euros, depending on the doctor.

What Is in the Eye Report?

Eye test after failing twice is the point where your licence depends on a doctor’s report, and it is worth knowing what is in it. The report gives the visual acuity for each eye, with and without a visual aid, and the binocular visual acuity for both eyes together, which must be at least 0.7 for a car licence, and 0.8 in the better eye for a Group 2 licence. It gives the visual field, which must be at least 120 degrees for a car licence, and 140 degrees for a Group 2 licence, and it notes any blind spots. It describes any disease, such as a cataract or a retinal disease, and whether it is stable or getting worse, and it gives a recommendation for the licence office.

Eye test after failing twice is not the end of the road, because the report can also recommend a licence with conditions, such as a glasses condition, a condition to drive in daylight only, or a condition to use a special mirror. The licence office decides on the basis of the report, and it usually follows the doctor’s recommendation. If the report says that your vision cannot be corrected to the legal limit, the licence office will refuse the licence, and you can appeal the decision, but the appeal is unlikely to succeed if the medical facts are clear.

What Are Your Options?

Eye test after failing twice leaves you with options that depend on the reason for the failure. If a cataract is the cause, an operation can fix it, and the test can be repeated after the eye has healed, usually after a few weeks. If your glasses prescription is wrong, new glasses can fix it, and the test can be repeated. If you have a retinal disease, treatment may stop it getting worse, and the test can be repeated after treatment, but the visual acuity may not improve. If your visual field is too narrow, a specialist can confirm the problem, and the licence office will have to decide whether a licence with restrictions is safe.

The eye test failed: what to do now page on this site explains the first steps after a failed eye test, and the eye test at the ophthalmologist page explains the medical examination in detail. Read both pages before your next test, because a good preparation can make the difference between a pass and a third failure, and it can save you time and money.

Can You Still Get a Licence?

Eye test after failing twice does not mean that you can never drive again. Many people who fail twice still get a licence, because the problem is a wrong prescription, a cataract, or a tired eye, and it can be fixed. Even if the problem cannot be fixed completely, the licence office can issue a licence with restrictions, provided the driving is safe. A licence with a glasses condition, a daytime-only condition, or a condition to drive an automatic car is better than no licence at all, and it allows you to keep driving in Germany.

Eye test after failing twice is also a chance to think about your driving. If you have trouble seeing clearly, do you drive at night, do you drive on the motorway, and do you drive in bad weather? A driver who knows their limits and who drives only in the daytime, at lower speeds, and on familiar roads, is safer than a driver who ignores a vision problem. Eye test after failing twice is a reminder to take your eyesight seriously, and to have your eyes checked regularly, not only for the driving licence, but for your own safety.

The MPU and the Driving Licence: When an Assessment Is Ordered

Eye test after failing twice sometimes leads to a question that is more worrying than the eye test itself, and that is whether the driving licence office will order a medical psychological assessment, the MPU, or Medizinisch-Psychologische Untersuchung. The MPU is usually ordered for alcohol, drugs, or traffic offences, and it is not ordered for a simple failed eye test, but the licence office can order a medical assessment if it has doubts about your fitness to drive, and an eye problem that cannot be fixed is one reason for that. Eye test after failing twice is the point where the office may ask for a detailed medical report, and in rare cases, an MPU, to check whether you are fit to drive safely.

Eye test after failing twice is therefore a good time to understand the assessment process, so that you are not caught by surprise. The MPU is a medical examination plus a psychological interview, and it tests your reaction time, your concentration, and your attitude to driving, and it costs between 350 and 750 euros, depending on the reason for the assessment. Eye test after failing twice does not mean that an MPU is certain, but if the ophthalmologist’s report says that your vision cannot be corrected to the legal limit, the office may refuse the licence, and the MPU is one of the ways that the office can check your fitness more closely.

Eye test after failing twice should be discussed with the licence office, because the office will tell you what it expects, and what documents are needed, and whether a medical report is enough, or whether a full assessment is required. The office is not your enemy, it is there to make the roads safe, and it will usually accept a clear report from an ophthalmologist, without an MPU, if the problem is a wrong glasses prescription, or a cataract that can be operated on. Eye test after failing twice is a problem that can be solved, and the best way to solve it is to fix the cause, get a new prescription or treatment, and take the test again, well prepared.

Eye test after failing twice is also a reason to talk to a doctor about your general health, because the eye test can be a warning sign of a wider problem, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or a retinal disease, and those conditions need treatment for your own health, not only for the driving licence. Eye test after failing twice can be the moment when you learn that you need a cataract operation, or a new pair of glasses, or a change in your medicine, and a yearly eye test at an optician is a simple way to keep track of your vision, so that you do not fail the test again, and so that you can keep driving safely, in Germany, for years to come.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens after an eye test after failing twice?
Eye test after failing twice means that you need a medical report from an ophthalmologist, the Augenaerztliches Gutachten, instead of a simple certificate. The ophthalmologist examines your eyes in detail and writes a report for the licence office, which then decides whether you can get a licence.

Can I take a third eye test at the optician?
Usually not. After two failed tests, an optician will not do a third test, and the licence office will expect the ophthalmologist’s report. Eye test after failing twice is the point where the screening test is replaced by a medical assessment.

How much does the ophthalmologist report cost?
Eye test after failing twice costs between 100 and 250 euros for the examination and the report, depending on the doctor and the tests. That is more than a Sehtest at an optician, but it is a detailed medical examination, and it is the only way to get a licence after two failures.

Will I lose my licence if I fail twice?
Not necessarily. Eye test after failing twice is a problem for a new application, not always for an existing licence, and even after two failures, you can still get a licence with restrictions, such as a glasses condition or daytime driving only, if the ophthalmologist says it is safe.

What is the most common reason for failing twice?
A wrong glasses prescription is the most common reason. Eye test after failing twice is often caused by a prescription that is more than two years old, or by glasses with scratched lenses, or by contact lenses that are dry, and a new prescription can solve the problem.

For the official legal text behind the rules in this article, see the German driving licence regulation (Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung).

Eye test after failing twice means a visit to the ophthalmologist and a written report. Eye test after failing twice does not end your chance of driving. Eye test after failing twice needs a new prescription or treatment first.

Conclusion

Eye test after failing twice is stressful, but it is not the end of the road. After two failed Sehtest results, the next step is a medical examination by an ophthalmologist, who will look at your eyes in detail, measure your visual acuity and visual field, and write a report for the licence office. In most cases, the problem is a wrong glasses prescription, a cataract, or tired eyes, and it can be fixed, and you can pass the test after treatment. Even if the problem cannot be fixed, the licence office can issue a licence with restrictions, such as a glasses condition or daytime driving only. Do not give up after two failures: get your eyes checked, fix the cause, and take the test again, well prepared and rested.