Spatially Biased Eye Movements in Older Drivers with Glaucoma and Visual Field Defects

Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Patients with glaucoma are at greater driving safety risk due to visual field defects. These driving safety risks may be mitigated by compensatory eye movements. We measured spatial allocation of eye movements in a panoramic driving simulator in 8 drivers with glaucoma and 5 with suspected glaucoma. All completed a driving simulator visual field task under three separate conditions: (1) parked with a naturalistic background (Baseline condition); (2) driving on a rural highway (Driving condition); and (3) driving and completing a competing auditory attention task (PASAT condition). Results showed that: (1) drivers with larger binocular visual field defects showed more restricted, spatially biased eye movements, and (2) greater task load led to more spatially biased eye movements in drivers with larger binocular visual field defects. Findings provide preliminary evidence of eye movement patterns that may reflect compensatory behaviors in drivers with glaucomatous visual fields. Better understanding of the relationship between visual field deficits, eye movement patterns, and driving in glaucoma can help inform countermeasures to improve safety and mobility in drivers with visual impairments.