2010 BC Guide in Determining Fitness to Drive

indicates that wait times of 6 months or longer result in decrements in vision that may have animpact on safe driving performance.Diabetic retinopathyThe majority of research on diabetic retinopathy and driving is concerned with the effects oflaser surgery (panretinal laser photocoagulation [PRP]) for proliferative diabetic retinopathy onvisual fields. PRP reduces the risk of severe visual loss in proliferative diabetic retinopathy butalso is associated with visual field loss and reductions in peripheral vision. See the discussion ofvisual field loss and driving above.GlaucomaThere is evidence that individuals with glaucoma are at a significantly greater risk for impaireddriving performance than those without the disease, likely to due to loss of visual field. See thediscussion of visual field loss and driving above.Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) and retinitis pigmentosaThere is little research on the relationship between ARMD or retinitis pigmentosa and drivingperformance. See the discussion of visual field loss and driving above.21.6 Effect of vision impairments on functional ability to driveIndividuals with impaired visual acuity may lack the ability to perceive necessary details whiledriving. Visual field impairments may interfere with driving by limiting the area that anindividual can see.Individuals with reduced contrast sensitivity may have difficulty seeing traffic lights or cars atnight. Limitations in research and testing preclude guidelines for impairments in contrastsensitivity, dark adaptation, or glare recovery, although some individuals with these impairmentsmay not be fit to drive.263