DRIVING at night can present problems for many drivers - from avoiding bikes and pedestrians in the dark to dealing with glare from oncoming cars.
Now researchers in Melbourne are looking at ways of reducing the risk of nighttime-related accidents, and investigating if - and why - older people are more likely to be involved in crashes when it's dark.
The study is one of three major research projects by a team at the University of Melbourne's Department of Optometry and Vision Science, led by Professor Allison McKendrick.
She is looking to recruit volunteers aged 60 and over and people with glaucoma for the clinical trials.
"We know that older adults are overrepresented in night time crash statistics," said Professor McKendrick.
"What isn't known is who is likely to be more at risk, and what can we do to mitigate these risks?"
The study will compare age groups and look at the visual factors associated with night driving, such as the ability to percieve different moving objects in highly variable lighting conditions.
In a second study, the team will be investigating brain plasticity (the brain's ability to change and regulate its function) within the visual system - using exercise bikes.
"They say that you can't teach old brains new tricks, but tests with eye patches have shown how visual performance can change after an hour or two of patching in one eye," said Professor McKendrick.
She said while in younger adults, eye patching has been shown to significantly improve visual performance for a short time after it's been removed it is not yet known if this is the case in older adults.
"There is also a theory that exercise can also change the brain's ability to adapt and can affect the plasticity of the vision system so we will be asking volunteers to do a vision test, then hop on an exercise bike, then take another vision test."
Glaucoma
The final study will be looking at improving eye tests, in a bid to improve diagnosis and management of the age-related eye disease glaucoma.
Glaucoma is a progressive disease of the optic nerve (which sends visual signals from the eye to the brain) and is more common in people aged 60 and over.
It's estimated around 850,000 people in Australia will either have glaucoma or be at risk of glaucoma by 2030.
"We currently get information about the anatomy of the back of the eye using hi-tech imaging and combine this with a visual field test."
Professor McKendrick hopes that the study will lead to more accurate tests for measuring visual function and a more individualised diagnosis.
"This could mean we will be able to diagnose glaucoma earlier and give more targeted treatment in cases where the disease is getting worse."
The researchers need older volunteers, and those with glaucoma, for all of the trials. For more information phone (03) 9035 9979, or email allisonm@unimelb.edu.au