Citation

Gray R, Hill W, Neuman B, Houtman D, Potvin R. J. Cataract Refract. Surg. 2012; 38(5): 816-822.

Affiliation

School of Sport and Exercise Sciences (Gray), University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom; East Valley Ophthalmology (Hill) and the Department of Applied Psychology (Neuman), Arizona State University, Mesa, Arizona, USA; Alcon Laboratories, Inc, (Houtman), Fort Worth, and Science in Vision (Potvin), Burleson, Texas, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jcrs.2011.11.047

PMID

22520305

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether the previously established benefit of blue light-filtering intraocular lenses (IOLs) when driving in glare conditions is maintained in patients previously implanted with a blue light-filtering toric IOL. SETTING: Department of Applied Psychology, Arizona State University, Mesa, Arizona, USA. DESIGN: Comparative case series. METHODS: The study comprised patients with a blue light-filtering toric IOL (test IOL) or an ultraviolet (UV)-only filtering nontoric IOL (control IOL). All patients had good visual acuity and a valid driver's license. While wearing best spherocylindrical correction, patients performed left-turn maneuvers in front of oncoming traffic in a driving simulator. The safety margin was defined as the time to collision less the time taken to turn at an intersection with oncoming traffic. Measures were repeated with a glare source simulating low-angle sun conditions (daytime driving). RESULTS: Of the 33 evaluable patients, 18 had a test IOL and 15 had a control IOL. In the presence of glare, patients with test IOLs had significantly greater safety margins (mean 2.676 seconds ± 0.438 [SD]) than patients with control IOLs (mean 2.179 ± 0.343 seconds) and significantly lower glare susceptibility (P<.05). In no-glare and glare conditions, patients with test IOLs had significantly lower glare susceptibility than patients with control IOLs. CONCLUSION: The blue light-filtering toric IOL produced a significantly greater reduction in glare disability than the UV-only filtering nontoric IOL and increased the ability of drivers to safely execute left turns in low-sun conditions. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: Dr. Houtman is an employee of Alcon Laboratories, Inc. No other author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.

Language: en