HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (7) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by McGwin, G. Articles by Owsley, C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by McGwin, G., Jr Articles by Owsley, C.

Is Glaucoma Associated with Motor Vehicle Collision Involvement and Driving Avoidance?

¹From the Department of Epidemiology and International Health, School of Public Health; the ²Section of Trauma, Burns, and Surgical Critical Care, Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine; and the ³Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham; and the ⁴College of Optometry, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

PURPOSE. To evaluate the association between the diagnosis of glaucoma and motor vehicle collision (MVC) involvement and driving avoidance in drivers aged 50 years.

METHODS. Two groups of patients, one with glaucoma and one without, were identified in three university-affiliated eye care practices. Demographic, clinical, and driving characteristics were obtained by chart abstractions and a patient survey. Information regarding MVC involvement was obtained from police records.

RESULTS. Patients with glaucoma were less likely (relative risk [RR], 0.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.47–0.97) to be involved in collisions than patients without glaucoma. There was no difference between the at-fault crash rates of the patients with glaucoma and those without (RR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.67–2.22). Patients with glaucoma had significantly higher levels of avoidance for driving at night (odds ratio [OR], 2.06; 95% CI, 1.11–3.82), driving in fog (OR, 3.80; 95% CI, 1.93–7.48), driving in the rain (OR, 2.99; 95% CI, 1.32–6.76), driving during rush hour (OR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.16–4.34), driving on the highway (OR, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.19–6.64), and high density driving (OR, 2.88; 95% CI, 1.28–6.46). These associations were adjusted for demographic and medical characteristics as well as visual acuity.

CONCLUSIONS. Older persons with glaucoma drive at least as safely as, if not more safely than, older persons without glaucoma.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Kotecha, A. Spratt, and A. Viswanathan Visual function and fitness to drive Br. Med. Bull., September 1, 2008; 87(1): 163 - 174. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. A. Haymes, R. P. LeBlanc, M. T. Nicolela, L. A. Chiasson, and B. C. Chauhan Glaucoma and On-Road Driving Performance Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., July 1, 2008; 49(7): 3035 - 3041. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. S. Rubin, E. S. W. Ng, K. Bandeen-Roche, P. M. Keyl, E. E. Freeman, S. K. West, and the SEE Project Team A Prospective, Population-Based Study of the Role of Visual Impairment in Motor Vehicle Crashes among Older Drivers: The SEE Study Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., April 1, 2007; 48(4): 1483 - 1491. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. A. Haymes, R. P. LeBlanc, M. T. Nicolela, L. A. Chiasson, and B. C. Chauhan Risk of Falls and Motor Vehicle Collisions in Glaucoma Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., March 1, 2007; 48(3): 1149 - 1155. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. McGwin Jr, A. Xie, A. Mays, W. Joiner, D. K. DeCarlo, T. A. Hall, and C. Owsley Visual Field Defects and the Risk of Motor Vehicle Collisions among Patients with Glaucoma Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., December 1, 2005; 46(12): 4437 - 4441. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]