Older Drivers and Glaucoma in India: Driving Habits and Crash Risks

Associations between vision impairment and vision-related interventions on crash risk and driving cessation: systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

To systematically investigate the associations between vision impairment and risk of motor vehicle crash (MVC) involvement, and evaluate vision-related interventions to reduce MVCs.

DESIGN

Medline (Ovid), EMBASE and Global Health electronic databases were systematically searched from inception to March 2022 for observational and interventional English-language studies. Screening, data extraction and appraisals using the Joanna Briggs Institute appraisal tools were completed by two reviewers independently. Where appropriate, measures of association were converted into risk ratios (RRs) or ORs for meta-analysis.

PARTICIPANTS

Drivers of four-wheeled vehicles of all ages with no cognitive declines.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES

MVC involvement (primary) and driving cessation (secondary).

RESULTS

101 studies (n=778 052) were included after full-text review. 57 studies only involved older drivers (≥65 years) and 85 were in high-income settings. Heterogeneity in the data meant that most meta-analyses were underpowered as only 25 studies, further split into different groups of eye diseases and measures of vision, could be meta-analysed. The limited evidence from the meta-analyses suggests that visual field defects (four studies; RR 1.51 (95% CI 1.23, 1.85); p<0.001; I2=46.79%), and contrast sensitivity (two studies; RR 1.40 (95% CI 1.08, 1.80); p=0.01, I2=0.11%) and visual acuity loss (five studies; RR 1.21 (95% CI 1.02, 1.43); p=0.03, I2=28.49%) may increase crash risk. The results are more inconclusive for available evidence for associations of glaucoma (five studies, RR 1.27 (95% CI 0.67, 2.42); p=0.47; I2=93.48%) and cataract (two studies RR 1.15 (95% CI 0.97, 1.36); p=0.11; I2=3.96%) with crashes. Driving cessation may also be linked with glaucoma (two studies; RR 1.62 (95% CI 1.20, 2.19); p<0.001, I2=22.45%), age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (three studies; RR 2.21 (95% CI 1.47, 3.31); p<0.001, I2=75.11%) and reduced contrast sensitivity (three studies; RR 1.30 (95% CI 1.05, 1.61); p=0.02; I2=63.19%). Cataract surgery halved MVC risk (three studies; RR 0.55 (95% CI 0.34, 0.92); p=0.02; I2=97.10). Ranibizumab injections (four randomised controlled trials) prolonged driving in persons with AMD.

CONCLUSION

Impaired vision identified through a variety of measures is associated with both increased MVC involvement and cessation. Cataract surgery can reduce MVC risk. Despite literature being highly heterogeneous, this review shows that detection of vision problems and appropriate treatment are critical to road safety.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42020172153.

Binocular superior visual field areas associated with driving self-regulation in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma

BACKGROUND/AIMS

The aim of our study was to investigate the associations between driving self-regulation and glaucoma severity, and between driving self-regulation and glaucomatous visual field (VF) defect patterns.

METHODS

In 247 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma included in this prospective observational study, a battery of ophthalmic examination was performed, including visual acuity (VA) and VF. Integrated binocular VF was constructed and mean of total deviation (mTD) values in four sectors was calculated (mTDsup-peri, mTDsup-centre, mTDinf-peri and mTDinf-centre). In addition, all participants answered seven questions regarding their avoidance in driving. (1) at night, (2) in rain, (3) in fog, (4) on freeways, (5) lane changing, (6) at high speed and (7) close to the car in front. The associations between these driving behaviours and 10 variables (age, gender, best VA, worst VA, the four sectorial average TD values, years holding a driver's licence and distance driven per week) were analysed using the generalised linear model with binomial distribution, followed by the model section method using the corrected Akaike information criterion.

RESULTS

As a result of the model selection, it was suggested that deterioration of mTDsup-peri was associated with (1) avoiding driving at night and (2) avoiding driving in rain. On the other hand, mTDsup-centre was related to (3) avoiding driving in fog.

CONCLUSION

Damage in visual function was related with driving behaviours in patients with glaucoma.