Association of Visual Impairment and Falls in Elderly Individuals-A Cross-Sectional Study

Falls are considered to be the most frequent and significant cause of unintentional harm and mortality among the elderly. Impaired vision is a significant risk factor for falls.

To analyse the relationship between visual impairment and falls in the elderly.

This hospital-based cross-sectional study included 270 participants after obtaining informed consent. Details of demographic profile, lifestyle, gait and balance deficits, ophthalmic and systemic condition were collected. The identification of independent risk variables for falls in the elderly was performed by logistic regression analysis.

Among 270 participants, 115 participants had falls. The mean age of fallers was 72.97 years. Females had significant falls. 87.8% of participants had visual impairment. Visual risk factors like cataract (80.9%), uncorrected refractive error (59.1%), glaucoma (24.3%), age-related macular degeneration (20.2%), and corneal opacity (13%) were very strongly associated with fall (P<0.001). On multivariate logistic regression analysis visual risk variables like Cataract, uncorrected refractive error and glaucoma had a significant association with falls (P<0.05) with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of less than 1. Diabetic retinopathy had strong association of fall (P<0.001) with aOR of 41.8 (95% CI 4.27-409.2).

Falls and visual impairment are public health concerns that require attention. Since many causes of visual impairment in the elderly are reversible, lowering the risk of falls in this population may be a controllable goal.