gms | German Medical Science

102. Jahrestagung der DOG

Deutsche Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft e. V.

23. bis 26.09.2004, Berlin

Bitemporal hemianopia in traffic

Meeting Abstract

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  • corresponding author T. Krzizok - Zentrum für Augenheilkunde der Justus-Liebig-Universität, Gießen

Evidenzbasierte Medizin - Anspruch und Wirklichkeit. 102. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Ophthalmologischen Gesellschaft. Berlin, 23.-26.09.2004. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2004. Doc04dogFR.07.04

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dog2004/04dog218.shtml

Published: September 22, 2004

© 2004 Krzizok.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.


Outline

Text

Objective

Patients suffering from pituitary adenomas and diseases of the chiasma typically show a bitempor hemianopia. Classically, a vertical separation line in the visual field of the injured temporal field of each eye. The residual undisturbed nasal visual field of both eyes have an extension of (at least) 120° and are according to the actual German traffic rules (FeVÄndV) for cars of the classes A, B, M, L und T. The intact half fields fit geometrically to one virtual normal field, that seems to correspond in the center to a normal field. References to this problem often do not address correctly the questions of suitability for traffic.

Methods

The case of a patient with typical bitemporal hemianopia shows the sensorial peculiarities: the functioning temporal retinal halfs are not corresponding. Thus, the alignment of both eyes is not stabilized, resulting often in exo- or esodeviations. Exodeviatios lead to disturbing diplopia, while much better tolerated esodeviations -even of small amount, e.g., 2° - have a vertical scotoma of this extension in the central visual field.

Results

In bitemporal hemianopia the undisturbed nasal visual half fields do not add to a "nearly normal field of one eye". Moreover, either diplopia or - much more dangerous in traffic - a central vertical scotoma is resulting. The peripheral extension of the visual field is not the key problem.

Conclusions

In bitemporal hemianopia there is typically no eligibility for driving a car or motorbike in traffic.