Article

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between measures of visual dysfunction and
driving performance in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). DESIGN:
Between-group comparison. SETTING: All data were collected in an outpatient
research setting. PARTICIPANTS: Persons (N=66) with MS of the relapsing remitting
type (26 self-reporting visual difficulties; 40 self-reporting no visual
difficulties) and 26 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. INTERVENTIONS: Not
applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Measures of vision included visual acuity,
depth perception, and color perception. Driving was measured using documented
accident/violation rate and self-reported driving behaviors. RESULTS:
Quantitative analysis only revealed that MS persons with self-reported visual
difficulties performed significantly worse than healthy controls on color
perception (Kruskal-Wallis; chi(2)(2)=8.89, P=.01). There were no group
differences on driving behaviors, and correlational analysis revealed a lack of
relationship between the selected visual (visual acuity, depth perception, color
perception) and driving performance measures (documented accident/violation rate
and self-limiting driving behaviors). CONCLUSIONS: Persons with MS who
self-reported difficulties with vision had acceptable visual acuity, despite
demonstrating impairment in color perception. The fact that visual acuity remains
the most common measure for visual fitness to drive remains problematic. There is
a need to further define measures of visual dysfunction relevant to driving among
this clinical population.
CI - Copyright 2010 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS