title: [Visual field defects after epilepsy surgery: implications for driving license tenure].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epilepsy surgery is an effective and established therapy in medically uncontrollable seizure disorders. In the course of such operations lesions of the visual pathway are often unavoidable. The resultant visual field defects can conflict with the legal requirements for a driving license.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this single center trial Goldmann perimetric findings in 135 temporal lobe epilepsy surgery procedures were analyzed retrospectively. The data were reviewed with respect to current and former German legal requirements for a driving license.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the surgical procedures 64 % resulted in visual field defects, 50% of the postoperative visual field findings did not comply with the legal requirements for a driving license and 56% did not comply with those for a heavy goods vehicle driving license.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A considerable proportion of the epilepsy surgery procedures examined in this study resulted in visual field defects that did not comply with the German legal requirements for driving vehicles. In all cases defects in the center of the visual field proved pivotal.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Augenheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Deutschland, Flemming.Beisse@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Beisse
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Lagrèze
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmitz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schulze-Bonhage
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001333:Automobile Driver Examination / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008004:Licensure / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D058609:Visual Field Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult