Medical Review Board meets to review comments on vision standards proposal

The first of two days of virtual meetings of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Medical Review Board reviewed comments on a proposed rulemaking updating monocular vision standards.

In January, FMCSA issued a proposal that would allow individuals who can’t meet the current distant visual acuity or field of vision standards in one eye to be deemed physically qualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle. The new rule would require drivers to complete a road test before being allowed on the road unless they have three years of intrastate or other qualifying driving experience with the vision deficiency. To qualify, the driver must have at least 20/40 vision in the other eye with or without corrective lenses and a field of vision of at least 70 degrees in the horizontal meridian.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association supports the change.

“The research presented demonstrates that individuals with monocular vision can safely operate a commercial motor vehicle,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer wrote in formal comments filed in March. “There is also considerable medical literature indicating that individuals with vision loss in one eye can and do develop compensatory viewing behavior to mitigate their vision loss.”

The Medical Review Board reviewed the comments received on the notice of proposed rulemaking to assist FMCSA in preparing its final rule. OOIDA is hopeful a final rule will be published by the end of 2021.

Also on the Medical Review Board’s agenda

The board also reviewed the form medical examiners use to assess commercial vehicle driver applicants who have noninsulin-treated diabetes. The board specifically was tasked with reviewing whether the information on the proposed assessment form would provide sufficient information to assist a medical examiner in making an appropriate physical qualification determination.

Jay Grimes, OOIDA’s director of federal affairs, said the Association also is supportive of the agency’s efforts to eliminate duplicative requirements for drivers with noninsulin-dependent diabetes to keep renewing their waiver. In 2018, FMCSA eliminated the Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Exemption Program to expedite the approval process for drivers who maintain a stable insulin regimen.

The board concluded its first day by starting a review of the Certified Medical Examiners Handbook. Grimes said the draft version of the handbook “does a better job of clarifying what is regulation versus what is advisory criteria.”

“The real goal of this is to make sure CMEs aren’t put in positions to mandate tests or other screenings that aren’t regulations, such as sleep apnea tests,” he said. “While the handbook should be a useful reference for certified medical examiners, they should not act outside the scope of the regulations when it comes to certifying drivers.”

FMCSA’S Joshi to attend Thursday

The Medical Review Board meeting will continue Thursday, May 20, from 9:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern. Meera Joshi, current deputy FMCSA administrator and President Biden’s nominee to head the agency, is expected to attend Thursday morning. LL