Higher risk of multiple falls among elderly women who lose visual acuity

Help needed in medication self-management for people with visual impairment: case–control study

“…Fewer individuals aged >85 years were recruited from community optometrists than from low-vision clinics but the characteristics of the participants with VI were similar to those described previously, 30 suggesting that a representative sample was recruited: they reported more falls 4,31 and poorer quality of life 2,32 than their normally sighted counterparts. The sample reported levels of adherence that were similar to those reported previously for people with chronic disease in the developed world, 13,29 so the findings of this study are likely to be generalisable.…”

Visual loss and falls: a review

“…The Beaver Dam Study showed impaired visual acuity to be associated with an increased risk of falls; odds ratios for two or more falls in the past year for the poorest category of visual function [13][14][15] Previous falls 13,16 Dependency in activities of daily living 17,14 Visual impairment [18][19][20][21] Neurological and cardiovascular disease 13,16,22 Medications 23 Gait disorder/postural stability 24,25 Environmental factors 24 Visual loss and falls this study included use of walking aids, and time taken for a measured walk. This study found visual acuity to be more strongly linked to falls and measures of frailty than contrast sensitivity.…”

“…However, the numbers receiving an intervention were very low; of 547 participants receiving the vision intervention, 287 were recommended for referral, of whom 186 had either recently visited or were about to visit their optometrist or ophthalmologist. Of the remaining 101 participants, only 26 had some form of treatment glasses (20) or surgery (6). With such a low number having treatment, it is unsurprising that the results for visual intervention were not significant.…”

Quality of life in patients with age-related macular degeneration: results from the VISION study

“…AMDrelated visual acuity loss has been linked with reductions in patient quality of life, an increased need for assistance with activities of daily living, and emotional distress and depression. [1][2][3][4][5][6] Moreover, while vision loss in general leads to an increased risk of injury owing to falls, [7][8][9] late AMD in particular has been associated with a 70% increased risk of falling two or more times. 10 Despite these negative consequences and in spite of the fact that AMD is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss among individuals over 50 years of age in the Western world, 11 clinicians and community members greatly underestimate the impact of AMD on quality of life.…”