title: Relationship of retinal structural and clinical vision parameters to driving performance of diabetic retinopathy patients.
abstract: This study identifies clinical vision measures or retinal structural measures associated with the driving performance of diabetic retinopathy patients. Twenty-five licensed drivers with diabetic retinopathy (median age, 53 years; range, 34-72 years) completed clinical tests (visual acuity, letter contrast sensitivity, and Humphrey 30-2 visual fields) and structural examinations (retinal thickness analysis and fundus photograph grading of retinopathy and laser scarring). Driving performance was assessed with an interactive driving simulator and a driving history questionnaire. Increased retinal thickness was significantly correlated with a higher frequency of simulator accidents and near accidents. Laser scar grades significantly correlated with steeper brake-response slopes, increased brake-pressure standard deviation (SD), and longer response times. Subjects with focal laser scars had significantly higher average brake-pedal pressure and brake-pressure SD than subjects without focal laser scars. Retinal thickness and laser scarring correlated with driving simulator performance in subjects with diabetic retinopathy.
authors.affiliation: Research and Development Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Chicago Health Care System, West Side Division, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. janeszly@uic.edu
authors.forename: Janet P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Szlyk
authors.forename: Carolyn L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Mahler
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Seiple
authors.forename: Thasarat S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Vajaranant
authors.forename: Norman P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Blair
authors.forename: Mahnaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shahidi
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001334:Automobile Driving; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*