Effects of a blue light-filtering intraocular lens on driving safety in glare conditions.

PURPOSE To evaluate whether the previously established benefit of blue light-filtering intraocular lenses (IOLs) when driving in glare conditions is maintained in patients previously implanted with a blue light-filtering toric IOL. SETTING Department of Applied Psychology, Arizona State University, Mesa, Arizona, USA. DESIGN Comparative case series. METHODS The study comprised patients with a blue light-filtering toric IOL (test IOL) or an ultraviolet (UV)-only filtering nontoric IOL (control IOL). All patients had good visual acuity and a valid driver's license. While wearing best spherocylindrical correction, patients performed left-turn maneuvers in front of oncoming traffic in a driving simulator. The safety margin was defined as the time to collision less the time taken to turn at an intersection with oncoming traffic. Measures were repeated with a glare source simulating low-angle sun conditions (daytime driving). RESULTS Of the 33 evaluable patients, 18 had a test IOL and 15 had a control IOL. In the presence of glare, patients with test IOLs had significantly greater safety margins (mean 2.676 seconds ± 0.438 [SD]) than patients with control IOLs (mean 2.179 ± 0.343 seconds) and significantly lower glare susceptibility (P