Intraocular scattering as a predictor of driving performance in older adults with cataracts
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Ortiz Peregrina, Sonia; Ortiz Herrera, Carolina; Salas Hita, Carlos María; Casares López, Miriam; Soler Fernández, Margarita; González Anera, María Del RosarioEditorial
Public Library of Science
Date
2020-01Referencia bibliográfica
Ortiz-Peregrina S, Ortiz C, Salas C, Casares-López M, Soler M, Anera RG (2020) Intraocular scattering as a predictor of driving performance in older adults with cataracts. PLoS ONE 15(1): e0227892. [https://doi.org/10.1371/ journal.pone.0227892]
Sponsorship
This work was supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Spain) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (FIS2017-85058-R), as well as by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (Spain) (Grant FPU15/05571). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Abstract
Cataracts can limit a person’s ability to perform vision-dependent tasks safely, affecting the
quality of life of older people. This study examines the relationship between visual function
and driving, by studying which visual parameters might be important for predicting driving
performance in older drivers with and without cataracts, ascertaining whether the objective
measurement of intraocular scattering should be considered in assessment procedures for
older drivers. This cross-sectional study involved a total of 20 older drivers (10 patients with
bilateral cataracts and 10 control subjects). All participants were examined for visual acuity,
contrast sensitivity, visual discrimination capacity, and intraocular scattering. Driving performance was also tested using a driving simulator. To study the relationship between visual
parameters and driving performance, a correlation analysis and regression model were
used. Drivers with cataracts showed a significantly impaired (p<0.05) visual function, with
an Objective Scattering Index (OSI) 3.5 times greater than the control group. Driving performance was also significantly worse (p<0.05) in drivers with cataracts, reflected by a notable
deterioration in lane keeping. The correlation analysis showed significant associations
between driving performance and all the visual parameters studied. Finally, the regression
model revealed that the OSI was the best predictor of driving performance, accounting for
51.3% of its variance. Visual function and driving performance are markedly deteriorated
when cataracts are present. Our results demonstrate that the objective scattering index
(OSI) has a high predictive power when it comes to simulated driving performance in older
drivers, both with and without cataracts, suggesting that scatter measurements could be
important in helping better understand visual limitations in older drivers.