6 September 2002: Older drivers with cataracts are twice as likely to have crashes than their peers who elect to have surgery to deal with cataracts, according to research conducted at the University of Alabama in the US.

The study was carried out over a period from 1994-1999, in patients ranging in age from 55-84 years at the beginning of the research. Though the sample of patients was relatively small, the researchers - led by Cynthia Owsley - conclude that cataract surgery may have a previouslyundocumented benefit for older driver safety.

It is estimated that half of adults aged 65 years and older have cataract-impaired vision.