Background: The effect of simulated visual impairment on the driving performance of elderly subjects and the relation between changes in driving performance and vision were investigated.
Methods: Vision was impaired by goggles simulating the effects of cataracts, binocular visual field restriction, and monocularity. Driving was assessed on a road circuit free of other vehicles. Visual performance was measured using the Humphrey Field Analyser (HFA), the Useful Field of View (UFOV), and the Pelli-Robson chart.
Results: The simulated visual impairment significantly decreased driving performance, even though all drivers satisfied the legal visual requirements for driving. Significant correlations between driving performance and the UFOV and Pelli-Robson chart were found.