Retrospective evaluation of 100 ophtamologic files of professional drivers in Campinas

Abstract

Vision is the main skill for the driving act and a good visual accuity is mandatory to be a professional driver. Objective: to evaluate the visual conditions in a group of 100 professional drivers of Campinas, SP. Methods: This retrospective study rewied records of 100 active professional drivers whose ophthalmologic examination was performed at Fundação Dr. João Penido Burnier de Campinas, a public and private ophthalmologic clinic, from 2006 to 2011. Results: Driver’s mean age was 52.8 years and all were males. They came to ophthalmologic evaluation because of periodic evaluation (36.8%) and impaired visual accuity (33.6%). Systemic comorbidities were presented by 44%, with predominance of diabetes and systemic arterial hypertension. The visual accuity was 100% in 47% and equal or higher than 0.66 in 69.4%, being each eye avaluated separately. The visual accuity was less than 0.5 in one eye in 22.1%. The most prevalent ophthalmologic disease was cristalin opacification (44.2%), with cataract surgery indication in 16.8%. Glaucoma was identified in 3.1%, pterigium in 5.2%, pinguecula in 6.3% and increased intraocular pression in 8.6%. Fundoscopy was considered normal in 53.6% and the main pathologies were suspect optic nerve escavation (10.5%), diabetic retinopathy (8.4%), age related macular disease (6.3%), hypertensive retinopathy(3.1%), miopic choroidosis (3.1) and vitreal bleading (2,1%). Conclusions: Visual impairment prevalence was higher than expected in this group, and at least 22.1% would not be professional drivers, because they could not see 0.5 in one eye. If they were submitted to a expert review they would be reproved in C, D and E categories.Visual acuity; Automobile driving/statistics & numeral data; Vision disorders/diagnosis; Medical redords.