Low-Vision Drivers

BOSTON (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Whether itís age-related macular degeneration or a condition theyíre born with, millions of Americans have vision that cannot be corrected. Many live their lives thinking driving is out of the question, but a researcher in Boston says they can get behind the wheel and drive safely and legally.

For most people, driving is something thatís taken for granted. For Laura Holt, a low vision sufferer, itís a dream come true. "Itís hard to learn a new thing at 33, when most people do it at 16, and so, itís great," Holt says.

Laura is one of millions of people in the U.S. with low vision, which is sight that cannot be corrected to 20/40. Twenty/forty is whatís needed to get a driverís license. "Losing your driverís license is really a terrible thing for many people," says Eli Peli, O.D., a vision rehabilitation researcher at Harvard Medical School. He says it doesnít have to be that way, and thatís why he wrote "Driving With Confidence."

Peli says, "Many people donít know what are the situations that would let them extend their driving condition." For example, 34 states allow people with low vision to drive using telescopic glasses. Many also allow people who are blind in one eye to drive if the other has good vision. Many states allow for restricted licenses based on time of day, distance from home and even maximum speed. But poor peripheral vision will keep you from getting a license in most states.

"But even if itís legal, it still may not be safe for an individual person, and that needs to be determined as a second thing," Peli says. For Holt, telescopic glasses were all she needed. She says, "With these glasses, I can drive. I have a valid daytime driving license in the state of Massachusetts, which is fabulous." Holt knows her limits and doesnít go too far, but just knowing she can do it legally makes all the difference.

Studies show visual impairment is not the greatest risk factor for driving accidents. Instead, the most dangerous drivers are young men who may have good vision but poor judgment. People with neurological and heart diseases are also at higher risk of accidents than those with visual impairment. Peliís book, "Driving With Confidence," is available in book stores and on the Internet.

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If you would like more information, please contact:

Richard Godfrey
Patient Liaison
Schepens Eye Research Institute
20 Staniford St.
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 912-2569