Factors associated with developing a fear of falling in subjects with primary open-angle glaucoma

Abstract

BackgroundTo investigate the relationship between clinical risk factors, including visual field (VF) defects and visual acuity, and a fear of falling, among patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).MethodsAll participants answered the following question at a baseline ophthalmic examination: Are you afraid of falling? The same question was then answered every 12 months for 3 years. A binocular integrated visual field was calculated by merging a patient’s monocular Humphrey field analyzer VFs, using the ‘best sensitivity’ method. The means of total deviation values in the whole, superior peripheral, superior central, inferior central, and inferior peripheral VFs were calculated. The relationship between these mean VF measurements, and various clinical factors, against patients’ baseline fear of falling and future fear of falling was analyzed using multiple logistic regression.ResultsAmong 392 POAG subjects, 342 patients (87.2%) responded to the fear of falling question at least twice in the 3 years study period. The optimal regression model for patients’ baseline fear of falling included age, gender, mean of total deviation values in the inferior peripheral VF and number of previous falls. The optimal regression equation for future fear of falling included age, gender, mean of total deviation values in the inferior peripheral VF and number of previous falls.ConclusionDefects in the inferior peripheral VF area are significantly related to the development of a fear of falling.

Evaluation of Fear of Falling in Patients with Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma and the Importance of Inferior Visual Field Damage

“…In our previous study, 25 visual field damage in the inferior peripheral area was related to fear of falling; however, in contrast to the current study, visual field sensitivity in the inferior central visual field was not related to fear of falling. These contradictory results may be a result of the difference in the assessment of fear of falling.…”

“…These contradictory results may be a result of the difference in the assessment of fear of falling. In our previous study, 25 fear of falling was evaluated using a single question, "Are you afraid of falling?" FES-I, however, consists of 16 questions, which enable a more comprehensive assessment.…”

Predictors of Fear of Falling among Community Dwelling Older Adults in Mansoura City, Egypt

“…Advanced age, being females, low educational level, living alone, decreased mobility, impaired balance, decreased ADLs and/ or IADLs functioning, and increased physical dysfunction were reported to be the causes of fear of falling among elders (15) . Elderly with fear of falling walk slower and take shorter steps, and have gait imbalance and using assistive devices for mobility as cane or walker (16) .…”

A Comparative Analysis of the Fear of Falling Between Glaucoma and Age-Related Macular Degeneration Patients From a Developing Country

“…In a cohort of Japanese POAG patients, defects in the inferior peripheral visual field area were significantly related to the development of a fear of falling. 11 In our study, the MD was used to summarize visual field status. The MD is a weighted average decibel deviation from the normative database and, as such, it does not give any information on the location of the perimetric defect.…”

“… 9 Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) is a progressive optic neuropathy characterized by the loss of ganglion cells and their axons leading to an irreversible loss of visual field, thus increasing the fear of falling specially when the inferior hemifield is compromissed. 10 , 11 Moreover, as patients have limited vision field, bumping into objects becomes common and the risk of falls increases and so does the fear of falling. The fear of falling is then related to reduced physical activities and mobility and therefore reduced quality of life.…”