In view of the present resurgence of interest in night myopia a pilot survey was conducted in order to investigate the problems experienced by drivers at night. A total of 88 (55 male; 33 female) randomly selected drivers were questioned from those attending sight tests at various practices of the Lancaster and Thorpe Group. Ages ranged from 19 to 87 years (mean age 42.5 about 16.3 Years). Details regarding refractive error, ocular abnormalities and spectacle wear habits were noted. The level of driving experience attained during night time conditions was assessed. Patients were then asked to describe any visual problems they experienced during driving. Seven drivers did not drive at night. Four of these intentionally avoided visual discomfort from glare or otherwise felt unsure of their night time vision. Of those that did drive at night, 29 drivers reported visual problems. In most cases (23 drivers) the problem was visual discomfort (including glare, flare and reflections) whereas only 6 drivers complained of visual difficulties (including reduced vision and judgment) which could possibly be attributed to night myopia. The majority (61%) of those questioned stated, when asked, that they would like their night vision tested.
Abstract