Long-time results and associations between subjective visual difficulties with car driving and objective visual function 5 years after cataract surgery

Purpose

To determine results and associations between subjective visual difficulties while driving and objective visual function in drivers who had cataract surgery 5 years previously.

Setting

Norrlands University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden.

Methods

This prospective outcomes study examined 189 active drivers who had cataract surgery 5 years earlier. Visual acuity and low-contrast visual acuity (LCVA) were measured, and a questionnaire with driving-specific questions (VF-14 based) was completed. The results were compared with data before and after surgery.

Results

Five years after cataract surgery, only a small proportion of patients (3%) drove without fulfilling the visual requirements. Few patients (5%) reported visual difficulties while driving in daylight, but a large proportion (43%) experienced difficulties in darkness, with glare being the most common problem. There was a statistically significant association between an LCVA of less than 20/50 and reporting subjective visual difficulties while driving (odds ratio [OR], 2.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1 to 6.8). Women had 1.8 times the odds of reporting visual difficulties compared with men (95% CI, 1.0 to 3.5).

Conclusions

Most active drivers had excellent visual acuity and no difficulty with daytime driving and distance estimation 5 years after cataract surgery. A large proportion of patients experienced difficulties while driving at night. These data suggest an adjusted association between LCVA and self-assessed visual difficulties while driving 5 years after cataract surgery. Our data confirm the importance of LCVA in relation to driving, especially in darkness.