The Sehtest (eyesight test) is, after the Nothelferkurs (first-aid course), the second step on your way to a driving licence. It is compulsory and is there to confirm that you can see clearly in every situation on the road – by day and by night. In the sections below you will find everything about the eyesight test:
01
What the eyesight test costs me
The eyesight test costs between 9 and 20 francs, depending on the optician or eye doctor. At Fielmann the test costs 9 francs and you do not need an appointment. McOptik charges roughly twice that and wants an appointment as well. At Visilab you also pay 20 francs. You will find branches of these large chains in every larger town, such as Zürich, Basel, Bern or Luzern.
You will find an overview of the full cost of a driving licence in the article «Cost overview driving licence»
02
Where I can take the eyesight test
The eyesight test for the application for the Lernfahrausweis (learner’s permit) may only be carried out by certified opticians or eye doctors. Simply look for an optician near you. The various providers differ only in price.
There are also a number of platforms offering an online eyesight test. That one is not valid for the learner’s permit application.
03
What I have to bring with me
Before you visit an eye doctor or optician, you have to download, print and fill in the learner’s permit application form. You will usually find it under «Formulare» on the website of the Strassenverkehrsamt (cantonal road traffic office) of the canton you live in.
- Besides the learner’s permit application, you also have to bring a valid identity document to your appointment (ID card, passport or residence permit)
- If you wear glasses, make sure you have them on your nose during the eyesight test.
- If you wear contact lenses, it helps to bring your glasses too (if you have any). You should stop wearing the lenses at least 12 hours before your eyesight test.
04
How much time I have to allow
Once you are finally at the optician’s or the eye doctor’s, the eyesight test goes quickly. Allow 15 – 20 minutes. So it is easy to slot in somewhere.
05
How long the eyesight test is valid
The eyesight test is valid for exactly 24 months.
06
Can I retake the eyesight test?
In an eyesight test, visual acuity is first measured without correction, that is, without glasses or lenses. If you reach a visual acuity of 0.7, you have passed. Otherwise the optician or eye doctor will correct your eyesight with glasses, with which you can then retake the test. You will then always have to wear your «Sehhilfe» (visual aid) when driving and carry a spare pair of glasses. It is also entered in your learner’s permit and your driving licence.
07
What is checked in the eyesight test
The eyesight test measures what is called «optical fitness to drive», in which your visual acuity is determined. The focus is on «stereoscopic vision», that is, the ability to build a three-dimensional picture. When driving, that matters above all for judging distances and speeds. The measurement is monocular, so each eye is tested on its own.
08
Online eyesight test
There are now plenty of free offers on the internet with which you can take an online eyesight test, for example on the Fielmann website or at Visilab. But be careful: the online test gives you no more than a rough hint about your eyesight. It is a pleasant way to pass the time and nothing more. So the rule stands: only an optician or an eye doctor can carry out the eyesight test for the learner’s permit properly and with legal effect.
A print-it-yourself eyesight test is about as useful as an online one. You can test your own eyesight, but you can just as easily cheat, for instance by printing the test on a larger sheet of paper.
09
Can I cheat in the eyesight test
As already mentioned, anyone who only passes the eyesight test with glasses or contact lenses also has to wear a visual aid when driving. It is noted in the driving licence as well as in the learner’s permit.
Let us suppose you wore contact lenses during the eyesight test and said nothing about it to the optician or eye doctor. Officially you would have passed the test without a visual aid. Nothing would be noted in your driving licence and the eyesight test would be «faked»
It is certainly not worth doing, because being able to see well enough while driving is first and foremost in your own interest, so that you do not needlessly put yourself, your passengers or people on the street in danger. And the optician or eye doctor looks so closely into your eyes that a professional would notice if you were wearing contact lenses.
You should also not forget that deliberately cheating in the creation of official documents is a criminal offence, and that legal consequences have to be expected accordingly.
10
What an eyesight test is good for
When driving, you take in almost every impression through your eyes: the other road users, judging speeds and distances, signs and street names, the look in the rear-view and wing mirrors, the state of the road in general. You perceive all of that by seeing. Experts estimate that one in five drivers in Switzerland has insufficient, uncorrected visual acuity. The national association of eye doctors likewise assumes that in Switzerland around 300`000 accidents a year can be traced back to impaired eyesight in road users.
We have put together a detailed checklist for the way to your driving licence in the article «Detailed driving licence checklist».
That is why the law prescribes, for everyone applying for a driving licence and for everyone taking an active part in motorised road traffic, a level of eyesight sharp enough
- that information relevant to traffic can be perceived and processed in good time
- that it is then possible to act and react correctly
- that undiminished vision is guaranteed even in poor visibility or with reduced mental and physical reserves
Anyone whose eyesight is not good enough endangers not only themselves but every other road user. Among young adults in particular, eyesight problems are quickly swept under the carpet, which is why a legally prescribed eyesight test matters so much. So do not take it as harassment or as an obstacle meant to keep you from driving. With glasses or contact lenses you drive just as well, or even better. And you can rely on your eyes completely at all times. Every optician and eye doctor will also recommend that you repeat the eyesight test voluntarily every two years.
11
What happens if I drive without my glasses?
The law sets out duties of care that have to be observed when driving. A minimum level of visual acuity is one of them. If you cannot reach it without glasses or contact lenses, you may not drive a vehicle. If you only pass the eyesight test with glasses, that is entered in your driving licence. Which means the police can fine you if you drive without your visual aid.
You will find more detailed information under this link about the eyesight test.