Low Vision Driving with Bioptics: An Overview

Abstract

This article presents an overview of driving for adolescents and adults who meet their states' visual requirements for low vision driving using bioptic lenses. It also discusses the outcomes of two studies of bioptic driver education. A driver's license is one of the most sought-after and guarded privileges that one obtains and preserves in one's lifetime, especially if one lives in a technologically advanced society where public transportation is not readily available. Teenagers eagerly anticipate the day when they will be able to drive (Peterson, 1992), and older adults fear that the time will come when they may need to give up their driver's licenses (Eisenhandler, 1990; Rosenblum & Corn, 2002). Not having an independent means of transportation limits where one can live and work (Corn & Sacks, 1994).

A Demonstration Project on Driving with Reduced Visual Acuity and a Bioptic Telescope System in the Netherlands

“…Of the subjects included, 4 had congenital albinism accompanied by nystagmus (subjects [19][20][21][22]. During the first months of the project, the driving instructors and the CBR experts noticed that these subjects showed a marked swaying steering behavior while driving.…”

“…In contrast to the EU where low vision driving with a bioptic is not allowed, it is permitted in 36 US states, 15,16,20 where there are more than 4000 bioptic drivers. 21 However, because of differences in, for instance, standards of driving, traffic density, and road design, it is not a priori evident that bioptic driving would also be a feasible option in Europe. Defining a solid protocol for bioptic driving based on local legislation, and reproducing some of the promising results achieved in the United States in a Dutch setting, are considered to be the first steps towards legalization for bioptic driving in the Netherlands.…”

Characteristics of on-road driving by persons with central vision loss: Learning to drive with a bioptic telescope

“…The bioptic telescope provides a magnified view of objects in the driving environment, such as signage, brake lights, directional signals, traffic control devices, and pedestrians, which can be resolved at much longer distances than would be otherwise possible for a visually impaired driver (Huss & Corn, 2004). Most individuals use a monocular bioptic telescope, although binocular telescopes are sometimes prescribed, with the most common telescope magnifications used for driving being between 2X and 4X, providing a field of view between 6° and 16°.…”

“…We were particularly interested in which driving skills are most problematic for ‘trainee bioptic drivers’. There are many anecdotal reports from CDRS and Driver Educators regarding the challenges faced by visually impaired persons learning to drive who wear bioptic telescopes (Huss & Corn, 2004), yet there has been no systematic scientific study of this issue. Thus this description of a small number of cases will provide useful objective and descriptive data that, while not generalizable, provide valuable insights beyond that of previous studies.…”

Driving with Bioptic Telescopes

“…view signs, traffic control devices, pedestrians, cyclists, and other potential obstacles. In 2004 Huss and Corn 17 estimated that there were approximately 4,000–5,000 persons in the U.S. who were currently licensed bioptic drivers, based on their communications with states where bioptic driving is permitted. However, since that time there have been no reports of a formal or informal census of the number of drivers in the U.S. who are licensed through bioptic driving laws.…”