Medical Review Section

Optometrists' Reporting Requirements

Like physicians, optometrists in Ontario are required by law to report to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles any individual who may be suffering from a eye condition that may make it dangerous to drive. Section 204 of the Highway Traffic Act states,

• Every member of the College of Optometrists of Ontario shall report to the Registrar the name, address and clinical condition of every person sixteen years of age or over attending upon the optometrist for optometric services who, in the opinion of the optometrist, is suffering from an eye condition that may make it dangerous for the person to operate a motor vehicle.
• No action shall be brought against a qualified optometrist for complying with this section.
• The report referred to in subsection (1) is privileged for the information of the Registrar only and shall not be open for public inspection, and the report is inadmissible in evidence for any purpose in any trial except to prove compliance with section (1).

To simplify the reporting process the Ministry of Transportation has a reporting form for optometrists to use when reporting a patient.

Mail or fax completed forms to:

• Registrar of Motor Vehicles, Medical Review Section
  Ministry of Transportation
  (see mailing address and fax numbers in the left column of this page)

  For your convenience, this form can also be saved on your computer for future completion and printing. To ensure document recognition, please do not photocopy this form.

To obtain copies of the Vision Report to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles form:

• download the Vision Report to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles (PDF - 330 KB). To complete this PDF file, you will require Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• To order forms: e-mail driverimprovementoffice@ontario.ca, or call 416-235-1773 or 1-800-268-1481

How to Complete the Form

Optometrists are required by law to report the name, address and clinical condition; however, by including the patient's gender and date of birth, we can accurately identify the individual. We suggest you keep a copy for your records. If you send by fax, please do not mail the original. To expedite your patient's file, please provide further elaboration of clinical condition (if available).

Regulation 340/94 requires that,

• A Class G, G1, G2, M, M1 or M2 driver must have:
  1. A visual acuity as measured by Snellen Rating that is not poorer than 20/50, with both eyes open and examined together with or without the aid of corrective lenses; and
  2. A horizontal visual field of at least 120 continuous degrees along the horizontal meridian and at least 15 continuous degrees above and below fixation, with both eyes open and examined together.
• A Class A, B, C, D, E or F driver must have:
  1. A visual acuity as measured by Snellen Rating that is not poorer than 20/30 with both eyes open and examined together and not poorer than 20/100 in the weaker eye, with or without the aid of corrective lenses; and
  2. A horizontal visual field of at least 150 continuous degrees along the horizontal meridian and at least 20 continuous degrees above and below fixation, with both eyes open and examined together.
• Where the horizontal visual field of a driver is to be determined,
  1. it shall be measured without the aid of extraordinary optical devices that enhance or modify vision or that interfere with the horizontal visual field, such as telescopic lenses, prism lenses or sidebar prisms;
  2. the visual field representation must include the central visual fixation point at its centre;
  3. the continuous horizontal visual field shall not include the natural blind spot; and
  4. the continuous degrees of the horizontal visual field that are required above and below fixation shall be continuous throughout the required continuous degrees along the horizontal meridian.

Note: Visual defects, disease or injury of a complex nature may require further assessment and will be reviewed on an individual basis in accordance with the mandatory vision standards found in Ontario Regulation 340/94 and with Ministry vision guidelines and standards.