Impact of eyeglasses on self-rated driving safety of commercial truckers in India: assessment before and after vision screening

Purpose: Vision is one of the most important functions needed for safer driving. We aim to investigate the usefulness of eyeglasses in improving self-reported on-the-job road safety outcomes among commercial drivers. 

Methods: A before and after assessment study was conducted among commercial truck-drivers to explore their vision problems and the usefulness of eyeglasses in improving self-reported on-the-job road safety outcomes. Truck-drivers underwent vision examination and if their monocular distance visual acuity was ≤6/9, then refraction was conducted. A total of 9,857 commercial vehicle drivers completed screening. A convenience sample of 385 drivers with distance vision refractive error underwent a baseline interview and 173 drivers completed the follow-up survey after receiving eyeglasses to rate the level of difficulty in eight specific driving tasks. 

Results: A high proportion of commercial vehicle drivers had uncorrected distance vision refractive error (17.7%). Commercial drivers (Range 49.1–74.0%) reported improvements in difficulty with glare, driving at night, identifying moving objects, judging distance and speed and driving in bad weather following the receipt of eyeglasses. In multivariate logistical regression models, drivers not meeting the Indian national visual acuity standard at baseline (presenting visual acuity ≤6/18) were nearly four times as likely to experience improvement in 4–8 visual difficulties (Odds ratio 3.69, 95% CI 1.13–12.0) compared to having no improvement in driving difficulties after receiving glasses. 

Conclusion: The prevalence of readily correctable refractive errors was high in this cohort of commercial drivers from across India and corrective glasses may reduce commercial drivers’ driving difficulties significantly.