Eye health of professional drivers of a Nigerian University.

Background: Safe driving and road traffic accident prevention could be attained through ensuring good condition of vehicles, the road as well as the physical and mental state of the driver among others Objectives: To determine the ocular health status of professional drivers of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Methods: A cross sectional survey of all drivers in the employment of the University of Ibadan, excluding the College of Medicine, was carried out between March and June 2002 at the University Medical Centre and the eye clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan.

Results: One hundred and ninety seven all male drivers were screened. Their ages ranged from 31 to 64 years (mean 48.3 +/-5.9yr). Less than satisfactory presenting (functional) binocular visual acuity (< 6/18) was found in 11(5.6%) of the drivers. With refraction no driver had binocular vision of <6/18, but three drivers each had corrected visual acuity in the worse eye of 6/12, 6/18 and 6/36 respectively. The commonest visual problems were presbyopia 100 (50.8%), and refractive errors 38 (19.3%). Other ocular pathologies included pterygium 11 (5.6%), optic atrophy 9 (5.0%), colour vision defects 7 (3.6%) cataract 2 (1.0%), age related macular degeneration 4 (2.0%), glaucoma 3 (1.5%) retinal scar 2 (1.0%), exotropia 1 (0.5%), and pingueculum 1 (0.5%),

Conclusion: Periodic screening of driver population of any establishment is a worthwhile task that may help to identify potentially blinding or visually impairing conditions such as glaucoma and refractive-error which can be promptly treated.