Glare sensitivity and professional drivers' safety: a case of rod-cone dystrophy with negative electroretinogram.

BACKGROUND

To obtain a driver's licence certain requirements for visual acuity and visual field have to be fulfilled. Mesopic contrast and glare sensitivity are not regularly tested and are not crucial to passing the driving test.

CASE REPORT: We report a case of a 39-year-old professional bus driver whose only complaint was increased glare sensitivity. After he had been involved in four traffic accidents, ophthalmological investigations revealed binocular annular scotomata and night blindness, leading to the diagnosis of rod-cone dystrophy.

DISCUSSION: Enhanced glare sensitivity is a common complaint in elderly people or people with the beginnings of cataract but may also represent an initial symptom of a retinal disorder. It is therefore advisable for traffic safety if drivers with such complaints undergo a complete ophthalmological investigation including visual field testing.