Citation

Tran TH, Nguyen Van Nuoi D, Baiz H, Baglin G, Leduc JJ, Bulkaen H. J. Fr. Ophtalmol. 2011; 34(10): 723-728.

Vernacular Title

Deficit visuel chez les sujets ages chuteurs.

Affiliation

Service d'ophtalmologie, hôpital Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, groupe hospitalier de l'institut catholique de Lille, boulevard Belfort, BP 387, 59020 Lille cedex, France.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Masson Editeur)

DOI

10.1016/j.jfo.2011.04.014

PMID

21992994

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To study visual impairment and the etiology of visual loss in fallers and non-fallers in older patients. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Cross-sectional study including two groups of patients: elderly patients admitted for a fall (group1) and elderly individuals who did not report a fall during the 6months before admission (group 2). Visual acuity was measured in both eyes of all participants. Complete ophthalmologic evaluation was performed in the fallers group. RESULTS: The fallers group included 98 patients (mean age, 83.4±6.3) and the non-fallers group included 106 patients (mean age, 79±6.6). The fallers had lower vision than non-fallers (P<0.001). Visual impairment (visual acuity less than 20/40) was more frequent in the fallers (49.5% vs 15.3%, P<0.001). Causes of visual impairment in fallers were cataract (47.4%), association of cataract and age-related macular degeneration (17.5%), age-related macular degeneration without cataract (13.4%), and optic neuropathy (9.3%). Management of fallers was difficult, and only 17 of 48 eyes (35.4%) with cataract had undergone surgery. CONCLUSION: Fallers have a higher prevalence of visual impairment and blindness. Vision may improve with surgery in half of these eyes. This study highlights the need for systematic ophthalmologic evaluation in this high-risk population in order to prevent falls.

Language: fr