Patients with eye disease continue driving despite feeling unsafe
Wet AMD, a degenerative eye disease, affects vision. A new study from the University of Southern Denmark and Odense University Hospital reveals that one in five drivers with wet AMD feel unsafe in traffic.
As we age, our vision often declines - especially for those with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This eye disease primarily affects people over 60, making everyday tasks like reading, watching TV, and recognising faces more difficult.
Wet AMD damages the part of the retina responsible for sharp vision, which is crucial for safe driving. While most people with wet AMD still meet the legal requirements to drive, a new study from the University of Southern Denmark reveals that 20% of them feel unsafe behind the wheel.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
- Wet AMD is a common and serious eye disease that primarily affects people over the age of 60.
- It is caused by age-related changes and degeneration of the retina and is classified into two types: dry and wet AMD. Together, these conditions affect more than 70,000 people in Denmark.
- Around 30,000 Danes have wet AMD, with approximately 18,000 currently receiving treatment. Due to the ageing population, the number of injections administered is expected to increase by 50% over the next five years.
- Early treatment offers the best outcomes for wet AMD, yet many patients are diagnosed too late—partly because the healthy eye can compensate for vision loss in the affected eye.
- Treatment involves regular injections of medication into the eye every 4 to 12 weeks.
- Without ongoing treatment, most patients with wet AMD will lose their central vision.
– The idea for this study came from a patient who suggested we investigate whether people with wet AMD feel unsafe driving - because he did himself. In the clinic, we frequently meet patients who are deeply concerned about whether they can continue to drive, says Benjamin Sommer Thinggaard, doctor and PhD student at the Department of Clinical Research and the Department of Ophthalmology at Odense University Hospital.
He continues:
– We were surprised to find that one in five patients feels unsafe driving, even though many have already taken precautions, such as avoiding driving at night or in bad weather.
Legally allowed to drive, yet feeling unsafe
The researchers explored how patients perceive the impact of wet AMD on their driving, as previous studies have shown that the ability to drive plays a significant role in their quality of life.
In the study, 74% of patients with wet AMD reported that they still drive and meet the legal requirements to do so. However, a considerable number feel uneasy when getting behind the wheel.
The researchers do not yet know why patients feel unsafe driving.
– We are launching a follow-up study to explore how patients' attitudes towards driving change over time. By sending a questionnaire to those who participated in this study, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of why they feel unsafe, says Benjamin Sommer Thinggaard.
Better support and assistance
As life expectancy continues to rise in Western societies, more people are living with wet AMD. In Denmark alone, an estimated 30,000 people have the condition.
– My hope is that this study will spark a discussion on how we, as healthcare professionals, family members, and society, can support and assist our growing elderly population with serious eye diseases, so they don’t feel pressured to drive if they are uncomfortable doing so, says Benjamin Sommer Thinggaard.
Before 2017, drivers over the age of 70 were required to visit a doctor for an assessment of their driving ability. This is no longer mandatory. However, the Danish senior citizens' association “Ældre Sagen” encourages its members to consult their GP for a check-up if they are unsure about their ability to drive.
About the study:
- The study, The impact of neovascular age-related macular degeneration on driving from a patient perspective, examined how patients with wet age-related macular degeneration perceive the impact of their condition on their driving ability. Participants were asked whether they drive and whether they feel unsafe doing so.
- Of the 348 patients surveyed, 74.1% reported that they still drive regularly. Among them, 20% stated that they feel unsafe but continue to drive, nonetheless.
- A previous study found that wet AMD has a greater impact on the quality of life of patients who drive than on those who do not.
- The study also revealed that fewer men than women stop driving due to their eye disease and that patients who have stopped driving tend to have lower visual acuity than those who continue to drive.
Meet the researcher
Benjamin Thinggaard is a doctor and PhD student at the Ophthalmology Research Unit, University of Southern Denmark, and the Department of Ophthalmology, Odense University Hospital.