Glaucoma linked with car accidents

4 March 2011

People with glaucoma are 4 times more likely to have a car accident than the average Australian, an ophthalmologist is warning.

Dr Paul Healey, a glaucoma surgeon and lecturer at the University of Sydney, wants to raise awareness of the 'red flags' that could help identify patients who need to have their driving ability assessed professionally.

"Side vision loss, sensitivity to lights such as sunlight or headlight glare, blurred vision and an increase in near-miss crashes are all warning signals", he said.

Glaucoma Australia figures showed one-half of all Australians with glaucoma remained undiagnosed, due primarily to patients not having their eyes checked.

A Canadian study of driving performance showed people with glaucoma were 6 times more likely to have a driving instructor intervene during a driving test than people with normal vision, mainly due to slower reactions to, or difficulty detecting, peripheral obstacles and hazards (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2008; 49: 3035-41).


 

Last Reviewed: 04 March 2011

Reproduced with kind permission from Medical Observer Weekly.
©Copyright: myDr, MIMS Australia, 2000-2013. All rights reserved.

Sponsored links
Advertisement

myDr Newsletter

Get myDr delivered to your inbox Privacy Policy
 
Advertisement
Advertisement

This web site is intended for Australian residents and is not a sbstitute for independent professional advice. Information and interactions contained in ths Web site are for infomation purposes only and are not intended ot be used to diagnose,treat , cure or prevent any disease.Further , the accuracy, currency and completeness of the information available on this web site cannot be guaranteed. MIMS Australia Pty Ltd, its affiliates and their respective servants and agents do not accept any liability for any injury, loss or damage incured by use of or relance on the information made available via or throught myDr whether arising from negligence or otherwise.
See Privacy Policy and Disclaimer.