Miss Poa paid $69 to have an optometrist test her eyes.
"They said my eyes were perfect, but one eye was more dominant than the other."
Last month, Miss Poa was ready to sit her restricted licence and was again told she had failed on the eyesight test and needed to visit an optometrist.
Miss Poa explained to the AA staff what had happened when she sat her learner licence.
"I said I didn't want to pay $69 again, just to be told again that my eyes were perfect. They said I could join the AA for $39.50, which would give me one free eye test every two years. So I joined, because it was easier."
Miss Poa's aunt, Lo Davis, said she was frustrated by the process, and by being asked to pay for two eye tests.
"I have two more children who are still to sit their licence - I'm worried about what will happen with them."
The AA referred the Wanganui Chronicle to the New Zealand Transport Agency [NZTA], which supplies the eye test machines to the AA.
Andy Knackstedt, from NZTA, said anyone applying for, or renewing, a driver licence, must prove their eyesight met the required standard.
"As evidence you can choose to get a medical or eyesight certificate from a medical professional, or undergo a basic eyesight screening check at the licensing agent."
The certificate must be no more than 60 days old to be valid.
Mr Knackstedt says the eye test machine checks how well a person can see at a distance, and how good their peripheral vision is.
"They are state-of-the-art machines," he said.
The same type of machine is used in the United States, Canada and many European countries. They have no moving parts other than slides and flashing light bulbs, do not need to be re-calibrated and are cleaned every day.
About 54,000 eyesight screening checks are carried out by licensing agents such as the AA every month, and 97 per cent of those pass.
Of the 3 per cent who fail and must have their eyes checked at an optometrist, nearly half are required to wear corrective lenses.
"However, about 2 to 3 per cent of the population have vision which is adequate for driving, but who for a variety of reasons - one eye is weaker than the other - are unable to pass the screening test using the machine," Mr Knackstedt said.
