Poor vision and barriers to treatment among commercial vehicle drivers in Plateau State, Nigeria.

In Nigeria, deaths from road traffic accidents have increased from 18 per month in 1988 to 102 per month in 2000. Victims include drivers, passengers and pedestrians. Although there is a minimum legal requirement for visual acuity before a driver’s licence can be issued, this is not implemented in practice. This study investigated the visual acuity of minibus drivers providing public transport in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. Four of the six major stations where people come to board these vehicles were randomly selected and a total of 673 drivers were recruited. Their distance vision was assessed using a Snellen chart and their eyes were examined by an ophthalmologist. Data were collected using modified survey forms used for the rapid assessment of avoidable blindness (RAAB). Information on barriers to treatment was obtained from all drivers with visual acuity <6/12. A total of 53 drivers (7.8%) had presenting binocular vision <6/12. This represents the proportion of drivers in this study who would have failed to meet the legal requirement for a driver’s licence. Untreated cataract was the main cause of presenting binocular vision of <6/12, followed by uncorrected refractive error. The main barriers to treatment were lack of knowledge of where to obtain ophthalmic services, lack of time to go for treatment, and not being aware of the problem. It is therefore recommended that all commercial vehicle drivers have a comprehensive eye examination before obtaining a driving licence in Plateau state. An eye care service should also be put in place to meet the needs of commercial vehicle drivers.