Don't know where you got your information:
All drivers must take a vision test when they renew their driver licenses. You can take the vision test by two methods:
An eye-care professional must conduct your vision test, and complete form MV-619 or form MV-619R (Eye Test Report). The form MV-619R is included with your driver license renewal notice. If the form MV-619 or form MV-619R has a print date of 9/03 or earlier, the form is valid for 6 months after the date of the eye test. If the form has a print date of 3/04 or later, the eye-care professional marks a box on the form to indicate if the form is valid for 6 months or for 12 months after the date of the eye test.
Mail form MV-619 or MV-619R that your eye-care professional completed with your renewal application.
An eye-care professional in another state or country can complete form MV-619 or form MV-619R. The eye-care professional must report the results on the Snellen visual acuity scale. The eye-care professional must complete the form in English. The eye-care professional must provide a professional license number if a number was assigned by the other state or country.
You can send a form or a letter from a motor vehicle office in another state that indicates that you passed a vision test at a motor vehicle office in that state during the past six months. The form or letter must indicate that you passed a vision test for a visual acuity of 20/40 (or better) on the Snellen Visual Acuity Scale.
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Go to a NYSDMV office to take the vision test and renew your driver license. There is no additional fee to take the vision test at a DMV office.
I just renewed in May and I had to do the eye test.