Cataract and driving: Part 1

OPTICIAN/City University dissertation prize winner Jaspal Punia looks at the current vision standards for driving in the UK and their limitations. In a follow-up article he will suggest a more appropriate vision assessment than that currently used for drivers

The DVLA states that a driver's vision is deemed satisfactory for driving when he or she is able to read the characters on a number plate from a distance of 20.5m. This rudimentary form of visual analysis has been found to be unsatisfactory by various research papers which will be discussed later.

Although it provides a quick and easy method of assessing vision it also disadvantages some drivers, due to a lack of uniformity. For example, if a driver with cataract has his vision assessed on a clear day he may be able to read a number plate at the specified distance. However, if the test is performed on a different day and the weather is not as clear he may fail the same test. This article aims to develop a more systematic approach to vision assessment for drivers.

Drivers with a unilateral cataract can suffer from distorted motion perception which could have serious consequences if they are allowed to continue driving. These drivers have been identified as having a greater risk of crashing. Therefore I also aim to justify simultaneous bilateral cataract surgery in patients without any co-pathology as this will prevent elderly drivers suffering from various phenomena as a result of sensory deprivation to one eye.