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Association Between Visual Acuity and Prospective Fall Risk in Generally Healthy and Active Older Adults: The 3-Year
Maud Wieczorek1, Marlis Isler2, Klara Landau3
1Centre on Aging and Mobility, University of Zurich and City Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Aging Medicine and Aging Research, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
|April 19, 2024
Summary
Reduced visual acuity (VA) in older adults independently predicts a 20% higher risk of falls and injurious falls. Regular eye exams are crucial for fall prevention strategies in healthy seniors.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Ophthalmology
- Public Health
Background:
- Aging significantly impacts visual acuity (VA) and fall risk.
- The interplay between VA and falls in healthy older adults remains understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between baseline VA and the risk of all and injurious falls over three years.
- To determine the extent to which VA influences fall risk in community-dwelling older adults.
Main Methods:
- Observational analysis of the DO-HEALTH randomized controlled trial data.
- Prospective recording of falls (all and injurious) over 3 years in 2131 community-dwelling adults aged 70+.
- Negative binomial regression models adjusted for multiple covariates were used to analyze the association between decreased VA and fall incidence.
Main Results:
- 68.7% of participants had decreased baseline VA (better-eye VA < 1.0).
- Decreased VA was associated with a 22% increased incidence rate of all falls (aIRR=1.22).
- Decreased VA was associated with a 20% increased incidence rate of injurious falls (aIRR=1.20).
Conclusions:
- Reduced VA is an independent predictor of increased fall risk in older adults.
- Findings underscore the importance of regular eye examinations for fall prevention.
- VA assessment should be integrated into fall prevention strategies for healthy, active older adults.
