Association between glaucoma severity and driving cessation in subjects with primary open-angle glaucoma

Background: The aim of this study, which included a baseline cross-sectional study and a 3-year follow-up prospective study, was to investigate the association between glaucomatous visual field damage and driving cessation in subjects with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Methods: A total of 211 POAG subjects divided into 3 groups according to POAG severity (mild, moderate, or severe) in the better eye were enrolled along with 148 control subjects; subjects were asked about changes in their driving status. In the 3-year follow-up study, 185 of the POAG subjects and 80 of the controls annually reported their driving status. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the prevalence and incidence of driving cessation were estimated with a multiple logistic regression model. Results: In the original cross sectional study, 11/148 (7%) members of the control group reported having given up driving over the previous 5 years; the corresponding figures for the mild POAG, moderate POAG, and severe POAG groups were 9/173 (5%), 0/22 (0%), and 5/16 (31 %), respectively (p = 0.001, Fisher's exact test), with severe POAG found to be associated with driving cessation after adjustment for age, gender, systemic hypertension, and diabetes mellitus (odds ratio 11.52 [95% CI 2.87-46.35), ref. control, p = 0.001). In the follow up study, the proportions of subjects who ceased driving were 1/80 (1.3%) in the control group, 8/152 (5.3%) in the mild POAG group, 5/22 (22.7%) in the moderate POAG group, and 2/11 (18.2%) in the severe POAG group (p = 0.001, Fisher's exact test). Moderate POAG and severe POAG in the better eye were found to be associated with driving cessation after adjustment for age, gender, systemic hypertension, and diabetes mellitus (moderate POAG in the better eye: odds ratio 37.7 [95% CI 3.7-383.8], ref. control, p = 0.002, and severe POAG in the better eye: odds ratio 52.8 [95% CI 3.5-797.0), ref. control, p = 0.004). Conclusion: Moderate and Severe POAG in the better eye is associated with driving cessation.