Chicago – Drivers with advanced cases of glaucoma have twice the crash risk of drivers with normal vision, suggests research presented Nov. 11 at the 116th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

In the simulation, 36 people in Japan with normal vision completed a lab-simulated driving test and their results were compared with 36 people with an advanced development of glaucoma. Glaucoma is an eye disease that impacts a person’s peripheral vision. The participants in the study with glaucoma had twice the amount of collisions when a child, car or other object suddenly appeared from the side in the simulation, compared to the drivers with normal vision.

The researchers stated that the study results could be used to develop safe driving guidelines for individuals with glaucoma.

According to an AAO press release, people with glaucoma may be able to pass the typical vision test required for licensing in most countries that only test for visual acuity.