Vision and hearing in old age

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Epidemiology
• Ophthalmology
• Audiology

Background:

• The aging population experiences a higher incidence of sensory impairments.
• Understanding the co-occurrence of vision and hearing loss is critical for geriatric care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the longitudinal prevalence and correlation of visual and hearing impairments in an elderly cohort.
• To identify age-related trends and demographic differences in combined sensory deficits.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal epidemiological study of 973 individuals examined at ages 70, 81-82, and 88.
• Assessment of best-corrected visual acuity and hearing via pure-tone audiometry and whispered/spoken voice (WSV).

Main Results:

• No co-existence of impairments at age 70; ~70% had normal vision and hearing.
• By age 81-82, 3-6% had low vision and moderate-to-severe hearing loss.
• At age 88, 8-13% had low vision and moderate-to-severe hearing loss; none of the men and <10% of women had normal vision and hearing.
• At age 88, women were 3x more likely than men to have low vision and normal hearing; men were more likely to have normal vision and moderate-to-severe hearing loss.
• Mild impairments affected 0.5% at 70, 22%/11% at 81-82, and 23%/9% at 88 (WSV/audiometry).
• A correlation between visual acuity and hearing was found in men at age 70 only.

Conclusions:

• The combined burden of vision and hearing impairment significantly increases with age, particularly after 80.
• Gender differences exist in the manifestation of combined sensory loss.
• Close collaboration between ophthalmologists and audiology physicians is recommended for comprehensive rehabilitation.