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Affiliation
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Centre for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Hawkesbury Road, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia jiejin.wang@sydney.edu.au. |
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Abstract
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PURPOSE: To assess the impact of visual impairment on the incidence of falls and fractures in older persons.
METHODS: Of 3654 baseline participants, 2334, 1952 and 1149 were re-examined after 5, 10 and 15-years. Presenting visual acuity (VA) was measured at each examination. Bilateral and unilateral visual impairment was defined as VA <20/40 in the better eye and worse eye, respectively. Incident visual impairment was defined in eyes with VA ≥20/40 at baseline which subsequently developed visual impairment. The incidence of falls was assessed over the 12-month period prior to each visit; whereas incidence of fractures were assessed over the 5-year period between the two visits. Discrete logistic-regression models with time-dependant variables were used to assess associations between visual impairment and subsequent falls and fractures after adjusting for co-factors.
RESULTS: The proportions of participants reporting ≥2 falls ranged 10%-14%, and proportions reporting fractures ranged 12%-21%, across the three follow-up visits. Participants with incident visual impairment were more likely to report ≥2 falls in 5 years, OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.04-2.04 (bilateral visual impairment) and OR 1.22, 95% CI 0.98-1.51 (unilateral). Compared to participant with normal vision, those with incident unilateral visual impairment had a higher incidence of fractures over 5 years (OR 1.27, 95%CI 0.98-1.51). No increased incidence of falls or fractures was evident after 5+ years among participants with any visual impairment.
CONCLUSIONS: In this older cohort, more recent development of visual impairment was associated with increased likelihood of subsequent falls and fractures in the next 5 years, independent of co-morbidities.
Language: en |