@article{ref1,
title="Improving vision to prevent falls in frail older people: a randomized trial",
journal="Journal of the American Geriatrics Society",
year="2007",
author="Cumming, Robert G. and Ivers, Rebecca Q. and Clemson, Lindy and Cullen, J. and Hayes, Maggie F. and Tanzer, Michael and Mitchell, Paul",
volume="55",
number="2",
pages="175-181",
abstract="OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy of vision and eye examinations, with subsequent treatment of vision problems, for preventing falls and fractures in frail older people. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: Community in Sydney, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred sixteen men and women aged 70 and older (mean age 81) recruited mainly from people attending outpatient aged care services. INTERVENTIONS: The intervention group received comprehensive vision and eye examinations conducted by a study optometrist. The optometrist arranged for new eyeglasses for 92 subjects and referred 24 for a home visit with an occupational therapist, 17 for glaucoma management, and 15 for cataract surgery. The control group received usual care. MEASUREMENTS: Falls and fractures during 12 months of follow-up were ascertained according to self-report using a monthly postcard system. RESULTS: Fifty-seven percent of subjects fell at least once during follow-up. Falls occurred more frequently in the group randomized to receive the vision intervention (65% fell at least once; 758 falls in total) than in the control group (50% fell at least once; 516 falls in total). The falls rate ratio using the negative binomial model was 1.57 (95% confidence interval (CI)=1.20-2.05, P=.001). Fractures were also more frequent in the intervention group (31 fractures) than the control group (18 fractures; relative risk from proportional hazards model 1.74, 95% CI=0.97-3.11, P=.06). CONCLUSION: In frail older people, comprehensive vision and eye assessment, with appropriate treatment, does not reduce, and may even increase, the risk of falls and fractures.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0002-8614",
doi="10.1111/j.1532-5415.2007.01046.x",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2007.01046.x"
}