Study: Elderly drivers with glaucoma at least as safe as other older drivers

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Older people with glaucoma are at least as safe on the road, if not safer, than elderly drivers without the disease, according to a study presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology here.

The study, authored by C. Owsley, MD, and colleagues, compared 576 patients with glaucoma to 115 without glaucoma, all of whom were licensed drivers over the age of 55 years. Chart abstractions and patient interviews were used to discover demographic, clinical and driving habits. Information about motor vehicle collisions (MVC) was obtained from Department of Public Safety records.

Adjusting for visual acuity, medical and demographic characteristics, the study found that glaucoma patients had a lower MVC rate than patients without glaucoma. When at-fault crashes were isolated, there was no difference between MVC rates for glaucoma patients and those without glaucoma. Glaucoma patients had substantially higher levels of self-reported caution in challenging driving situations such as at night, in fog, in rain, in rush hour, on the highway and in high-density areas, Dr. Owsley said.

The study concluded that drivers with glaucoma may restrict their own driving activities due to their disease, but a determination could not be made as to whether the reduced crash rate is entirely explained by this self-limiting behavior.