Epilepsy surgery, visual fields, and driving: a study of the visual field criteria for driving in patients after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery with a comparison of Goldmann and Esterman perimetry

Twenty four patients who had undergone temporal lobe surgery for epilepsy w ere assessed to determine (a) whether or not they had developed a visual fi eld defect and (b) if a field defect was present, were the visual field cri teria, as required by the DVLA, fulfilled using the monocular Goldmann peri meter test and the automated binocular Esterman method performed on a Humph rey perimeter. A field deficit was found in 13 of 24 (54%) using the Goldma nn perimeter and 11 of 24 (46%) by the Esterman method. The second was a mo re lenient assessment with six of 24 (25%) failing the driving criteria com pared with 10 of 24 (42%) by the monocular Goldmann method, Three patients were seizure free but failed the driving criteria, This complication of sur gery for temporal lobe epilepsy needs to be discussed with patients before surgery.