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Older adults, diabetes mellitus and visual acuity: a community-based case-control study
A J Sinclair1, A J Bayer, A J Girling
1Academic Department of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham, UK. a.j.sinclair@bham.ac.uk
Age and Ageing
|September 14, 2000
Summary
Older adults, especially those with diabetes mellitus, have a high risk of uncorrected visual impairment. This vision loss significantly impacts their quality of life, highlighting the need for timely optometry services.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Gerontology
- Diabetology
Background:
- Visual impairment is a significant concern in older adults.
- Diabetes mellitus is a known systemic disease with potential ocular complications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To screen for impaired distance visual acuity in home-dwelling older adults with and without diabetes mellitus.
- To determine if diabetes increases the likelihood of visual impairment.
- To identify factors associated with visual impairment in this population.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted in three districts of Wales.
- Participants included 385 individuals with diabetes mellitus and 385 age- and sex-matched controls.
- Visual acuity and Short Form (SF)-36 quality of life scores were assessed in subjects' homes.
Main Results:
- Impaired visual acuity was observed in 40% of those with diabetes and 31% of controls.
- Diabetes was associated with an increased risk of visual impairment (OR 1.50, P=0.013).
- Increasing age, female sex, foot ulceration history, diabetes duration, and insulin treatment were associated with visual impairment.
Conclusions:
- Home-dwelling older adults exhibit a high prevalence of uncorrected visual impairment.
- Diabetes mellitus significantly elevates the risk of visual loss.
- Impaired vision negatively affects health-related quality of life, necessitating earlier optometry referrals and clinical visual acuity assessments.
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