title: Diplopia and driving: a problematic issue.
abstract: The aim of this article was to review the literature regarding diplopia and driving license and to review the West European legislations about this topic, in order to obtain appropriate indications for hospitals specialists and patients. A systematic review of articles published about diplopia and driving was performed. In addition a review of West European national legislations about driving license regulations for medical illnesses was performed, in addition to the European Union Directive on driving licenses. In the literature, the presence of diplopia has not been considered a reliable predictor of the safety of driving behavior, or it has not appeared to be a contraindication for driving according to some authors who were unable to demonstrate significant differences on driving simulator performance between subjects with chronic stable diplopia and control subjects. Nevertheless, in all western European legislations, acute diplopia constitutes an important limitation for driving, thus making the knowledge of current regulations fundamental for specialists involved in managing patients with diplopia. Ophthalmologists and maxillofacial/head and neck surgeons, may advise patients before hospital discharge about current legislations in their respective countries.
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology, Maxillofacial Surgery and Dentistry, Aosta Hospital, Aosta, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Righi
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology, Maxillofacial Surgery and Dentistry, Aosta Hospital, Aosta, Italy. Electronic address: paolo.boffano@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boffano
authors.affiliation: Division of Ophthalmology, Aosta Hospital, Aosta, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Guglielmi
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology, Maxillofacial Surgery and Dentistry, Aosta Hospital, Aosta, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: Division of Ophthalmology, Aosta Hospital, Aosta, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martorina
mesh_terms: D001333:Automobile Driver Examination / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D004172:Diplopia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005060:Europe; D005062:European Union; D033161:Government Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008004:Licensure / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence
keywords: Diplopia; Driving; Driving license; License; Orbital fracture