Changes in visual function after intraocular pressure reduction using antiglaucoma medications

Purpose To evaluate the change in visual function after starting glaucoma treatment and correlate this to a decrease in intraocular pressure (IOP) in primary open-angle glaucoma patients.Methods A prospective, randomized clinical trial was carried out involving 54 glaucoma patients (54 eyes). After inclusion, patients randomly received timolol maleate 0.5%, brimonidine tartrate 0.2%, or travoprost 0.004% in one randomly selected eye. Patients underwent Goldmann applanation tonometry, visual acuity test, standard automated perimetry (SAP), visual quality perception test (visual analogue scale), and contrast sensitivity (CS) test, in a random order before and after the 4-week glaucoma treatment.Results There were statistically significant changes in IOP (mean change [standard deviation], 7.8 [3.6] mmHg, P 0.001), SAP mean deviation index (0.84 [2.45] dB, P = 0.02), visual quality perception (0.56 [1.93], P = 0.045), and CS at frequencies of 12 cycles/degree (0.10 [0.37], P = 0.03) and 18 cycles/degree (0.18 [0.42], P = 0.02) after the 4-week treatment when compared with baseline. No statistically significant differences were found between the treatment groups in visual function changes after treatment (P > 0.40). No significant correlations between IOP reduction and changes in visual function were found (P > 0.30).Conclusions Visual quality perception, visual field mean deviation index, and CS at higher frequencies improve after starting glaucoma therapy. However, no correlation was found between IOP reduction and changes in visual function, and no differences were found in visual function when the three medications studied were compared. Eye (2009) 23, 1081-1085; doi:10.1038/eye.2008.226; published online 1 August 2008Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Glaucoma Serv, Dept Ophthalmol, BR-01404001 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Glaucoma Serv, Dept Ophthalmol, BR-01404001 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Factors determining speed management during distracted driving (WhatsApp messaging)

Conceptualization: S.O.P., O.O.T., C.O. and R.G.A.; Methology: S.O.P., O.O.T., C.O. and C.S.; Formal Analyis: S.O.P, O.O.T., M.C.L. and C.S.; Investigation: S.O.P; C.O. and R.G.A.; Writing-Original Draft: S.O.P., O.O.T., M.C.L. and C.S.; Writing-Review & Editing: S.O.P., C.O. and R.G.A.; Supervision: C.O. and R.G.A.; Project administration: R.G.A.; Funding acquisition: R.G.A.The objective of this work was to investigate self-regulation behaviours, particularly speed management, under distracted conditions due to WhatsApp use. We also studied the influence of different environments and driver characteristics, introducing visual status as one of them. Seventy-five drivers were evaluated in a simulator study involving two test sessions under baseline and texting conditions. A cluster analysis was used to identify two groups with different visual capacity .Lastly, possible predictors of speed management were studied developing a generalised linear mixed model. Our results show that drivers reduced their speeds in the presence of more demanding driving conditions; while replying to a WhatsApp message, on curved road segments and when parked cars are present. Driving speed also correlated with driver characteristics such as age or dual task experience and human factors such as self-perceived risk. Finally, although there were significant differences in visual capacity between the two groups identified, the model did not identify visual capacity membership as a significant predictor of speed management. This study could provide a better understanding of the mechanisms drivers use when WhatsApp messaging and which environments and driver conditions influence how speed is managed.Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Spain)European Union (EU) FIS2017-85058-RMinistry of Science, Innovation and Universities (Spain) FPU15/0557