title: Prevalence of refraction errors and color blindness in heavy vehicle drivers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the frequency of eye disorders in heavy vehicle drivers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional type study was conducted between November 2004 and September 2006 in 200 driver and 200 non-driver persons. A complete ophthalmologic examination was performed, including visual acuity, and dilated examination of the posterior segment. We used the auto refractometer for determining refractive errors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to eye examination results, the prevalence of the refractive error was 21.5% and 31.3% in study and control groups respectively (P<0.05). The most common type of refraction error in the study group was myopic astigmatism (8.3%) while in the control group simple myopia (12.8%). Prevalence of dyschromatopsia in the rivers, control group and total group was 2.2%, 2.8% and 2.6% respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A considerably high number of drivers are in lack of optimal visual acuity. Refraction errors in drivers may impair the traffic security.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University, Tıp Fakültesi, Halk Sağlığı AD. 58140 Sivas/ Turkey.
authors.forename: Haydar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Erdoğan
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.forename: Seher
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.forename: Ilhan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cetin
authors.forename: Ayşe Vural
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Ozeç
authors.forename: Selma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cetinkaya
authors.forename: Haldun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sümer