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Driving with both visual acuity (VA) and visual field (VF) loss has been a hot topic in the field for decades. Although the literature routinely acknowledges that driving is a privilege, not a right, loss of driving privileges can have devastating consequences such as increased social isolation, decreased quality of life and depression. Such high stakes can make the subject of driving tough to bring up during the examination of individuals with visual impairments. However, ODs have a duty to properly assess and counsel patients with congenital or acquired visual impairments who would like to acquire driving privileges or who will become non-drivers because of their vision loss. This course discusses the complexities of the current vision and licensure standards, how they affect patients with vision loss and what ODs can do to properly evaluate and counsel patients who are visually impaired and want to drive. 1. Identify past and current vision standards for driving. 2. Describe contrast sensitivity testing for driving. 3. Describe Useful Field of View testing/training. 4. Analyze Options for wayfinding while driving. 5. Define changes in visual processing that can occur with age, and their effect on safe driving. 6. Recognize our responsibilities in assessing fitness to drive. |
