Epilepsy surgery, visual fields, and driving

Inability to hold a driving licence is a major disadvantage for patients with active epilepsy. In well selected cases epilepsy surgery can render about two thirds of patients seizure free1 2 making driving a possibility perhaps for the first time in their lives. However, licensing authorities in the United Kingdom also require applicants to have vision that is adequate for safe driving both in terms of acuity and visual field. The field requirement demands a horizontal field (to Goldmann III4e stimulus spots) extending at least 120 degrees, with no significant defect in the binocular field encroaching to within 20 degrees of fixation above or below …