Vision among bodaboda motorcycle riders in Kisumu

Abstract

Title: Vision among bodaboda motorcycle riders in Kisumu Objectives To determine the proportion of bodaboda motorcycle drivers with inadequate vision for riding and its association with road traffic accidents in Kisumu. Method This was a cross section study conducted on bodaboda motorcycle riders in Kisumu. All the participants had visual acuity assessment using LogMAR visual chart, colour vision using Ishihara colour plates, stereopsis using Titmus fly test and visual field assessment by confrontation. History regarding the number of major and minor accidents the rider had been involved was be documented. Riders found to have inadequate vision or eye diseases were referred to New Nyanza Provincial General Hospital for treatment. Data was entered into a questionnaire and analysed using SPSS version 17.0. A significance level 95% was used. Results A total number of 186 bodaboda motorcycle riders were evaluated. Eleven riders of which two had single eyes refused to consent to participate. All were male and with a mean age of 31.3 years. Five (2.7%) of bodaboda motorcyclist riders had their vision assessed prior to licensing. Most bodaboda riders had eye complaints (58.1%) and the commonest complaints were tearing (17.2%), poor vision (9.7%), photophobia (8.1%) and itching (8.1%). Five (2.7%) bodaboda motorcycle riders had inadequate visual acuity for riding. Four (2.2%) bodaboda riders had red green colour deficiency. The proportion of bodaboda motorcyclists with poor or no stereopsis was 4.3% and those with constricted confrontational visual fields were 2.7%. Majority (56%) of the bodaboda motorcycle riders had been involved in minor accidents. There is no association between visual acuity, colour vision, confrontational visual fields and rate of road traffic accidents involving motorcycles in this study. Conclusion Majority of the bodaboda riders were young adults and met the visual requirements for riding. There was no statistical significance between vision and rate of accidents in this study. This is likely due to low number of participants and particularly by riders with eye diseases. Majority of the bodaboda riders had eye complaints and have never had an eye evaluation. Visual assessment prior to licensing needs to be increased, a larger study assessing vision and ocular morbidity in bodaboda riders is recommended.