Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Dark adaptation and falls in the elderly.

M E McMurdo1, A Gaskell

  • 1Department of Medicine, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK.

Gerontology
|January 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary

Elderly individuals who fall have impaired dark adaptation, meaning their eyes adjust slower to darkness. This reduced retinal sensitivity may increase fall risk, especially in poorly lit environments.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Corrigendum to "Association of electroencephalogram trajectories during emergence from anaesthesia with delirium in the postanaesthesia care unit: an early sign of postoperative complications" (Br J Anaesth 2019; 122: 622-634).

British journal of anaesthesia·2019
Same author

Association of electroencephalogram trajectories during emergence from anaesthesia with delirium in the postanaesthesia care unit: an early sign of postoperative complications.

British journal of anaesthesia·2019
Same author

Can use of frontal EEG monitoring increase intraoperative connected consciousness?

British journal of anaesthesia·2018
Same author

Using EEG markers to titrate anaesthesia.

British journal of anaesthesia·2018
Same author

Quantitative data analysis of perceived barriers and motivators to physical activity in stroke survivors.

The journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh·2018
Same author

Post-anaesthesia care unit delirium: incidence, risk factors and associated adverse outcomes.

British journal of anaesthesia·2017

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Gerontology
  • Vision Science

Background:

  • Falls are a significant issue in old age, often occurring at night.
  • The human eye adapts to light intensity via pupil changes and retinal sensitivity adjustments.
  • Investigating dark adaptation in elderly fallers is crucial for understanding fall-related incidents.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare dark adaptation capabilities between elderly fallers and non-fallers.
  • To determine if impaired dark adaptation is a contributing factor to falls in older adults.

Main Methods:

  • A single-blind study involving 22 female geriatric patients classified as fallers or non-fallers.
  • Ophthalmic examination and dark adaptation measurement using the Friedmann visual field analyser.
  • Retinal sensitivity was measured every minute for 20 minutes in darkness after photoreceptor bleaching.

Main Results:

  • Fallers exhibited significantly reduced retinal sensitivity compared to non-fallers.
  • Mean dark adaptation values at 5 minutes were 0.9 log filter density for fallers vs. 1.4 for non-fallers (p < 0.02).
  • At 20 minutes, fallers showed 2.2 log filter density compared to 3.2 for non-fallers (p < 0.04).

Conclusions:

  • Elderly fallers demonstrate impaired dark adaptation and reduced retinal sensitivity.
  • Inadequate home lighting combined with poor dark adaptation poses a significant visual risk for older adults.
  • Night lights may help mitigate risks associated with impaired dark adaptation in recurrent fallers.

Related Experiment Videos