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Visual acuity of people over 55 years old in habitual corrective conditions: drivers versus non‐drivers
Author(s) -
NAVARRO VALLS JJ,
RAMIREZ MERCADO G,
GOMEZ TORTUERO E,
LANGA MORAGA A,
GENE A,
SANCHEZ RAMOS C
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2010.494.x
Subject(s) - mesopic vision , photopic vision , optometry , medicine , visual acuity , population , demography , ophthalmology , audiology , psychology , environmental health , retinal , sociology
Purpose Our aim is to investigate the habitual VA in a non‐clinical population aged 55 years and over without evident pathology in order to estimate needs for best correction, comparing drivers’ and non‐drivers’ condition. Methods The 2449 subjects participating in the study were from amongst people in different shopping malls located in 21 provinces in Spain. All of them, (age range 55 – 89 years, both genders) were free of any ocular disease or pathology. Their monocular distance VA was determined under photopic and mesopic conditions. Results About 35% of the people participating in this study, using their habitual corrective lenses, had a lower VA than others in their age range. The habitual photopic VA of the sample was 0.63 ± 0.25 and 0.26 ± 0.10 under mesopic conditions. Photopic VA for drivers was 0.67 ± 0.25 and 0.62 ± 0.26 for non‐drivers. Mesopic VA for drivers was 0.26 ± 0.11 and 0.25 ± 0.11 for nondrivers. Conclusion Drivers’ habitual VA is about 11% better than non‐drivers’ in all age ranges, this difference being statistically significant in both photopic and mesopic conditions. Specifically, the mesopic VA for drivers prevent this collective from driving in legal and safety conditions that is a severe impairment compared to photopic VA (about 60% lower). Usually, examiners in driving medical centers are not required to evaluate on mesopic conditions, something that Health Authorities should be aware to improve. In addition, most of the people here evaluated undergoes a visual impairment that could be eluded by corrective lenses, in order to prolong the period of independent living and maintain quality of life.