© 1991 Oxford University Press
research-article |
Visual Acuity and Contrast Sensitivity in Relation to Falls in an Elderly Population
School of Community Medicine, University of NSW PO Box 1, Kensington, N.S.W. 2033, Australia
Geriatric Services, St Vincent's Hospital
Visual acuity and contrast sensitivity were measured in 95 residents of a hostel for the aged (mean age = 83 years) using a dual-contrast letter chart and the Melbourne Edge Test (MET). Vision (as measured by visual acuity, the MET, low-contrast visual acuity, and difference between high- and low-contrast acuity) decreased significantly with age and all four measures were significantly correlated. Subjects with a clinical eye disorder had poorer vision than those without a disorder although the differences were not significant. Visual acuity and contrast sensitivity were not associated with body sway when subjects were standing on a firm base. However, when the subjects were placed in a situation which provided reduced support (standing on a compliant surface), body sway was associated with poor visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. There was also a difference in contrast sensitivity between those who fell one or more times in a year of follow-up and those who did not fall. It appears that reduced vision may be a predisposing factor to postural imbalance and falls in elderly persons.
Received August 9, 1990;
Revision received August 9, 1990.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  V. Srikanth, R. Beare, L. Blizzard, T. Phan, J. Stapleton, J. Chen, M. Callisaya, K. Martin, and D. Reutens Cerebral White Matter Lesions, Gait, and the Risk of Incident Falls: A Prospective Population-Based Study Stroke, January 1, 2009; 40(1): 175 - 180. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. R. Buccello-Stout, J. J. Bloomberg, H. S. Cohen, E. B. Whorton, G. D. Weaver, and R. L. Cromwell Effects of Sensorimotor Adaptation Training on Functional Mobility in Older Adults J. Gerontol. B. Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci., September 1, 2008; 63(5): P295 - P300. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. J. Anstey, R. Burns, C. von Sanden, and M. A. Luszcz Psychological Well-Being Is an Independent Predictor of Falling in an 8-Year Follow-Up of Older Adults J. Gerontol. B. Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci., July 1, 2008; 63(4): P249 - P257. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. Figueiro, L. Gras, R. Qi, P. Rizzo, M. Rea, and M. Rea A novel night lighting system for postural control and stability in seniors Lighting Research and Technology, June 1, 2008; 40(2): 111 - 126. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E. L. Lamoreux, E. Chong, J. J. Wang, S. M. Saw, T. Aung, P. Mitchell, and T. Y. Wong Visual Impairment, Causes of Vision Loss, and Falls: The Singapore Malay Eye Study Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., February 1, 2008; 49(2): 528 - 533. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. J. E. Foss, R. H. Harwood, F. Osborn, R. M. Gregson, A. Zaman, and T. Masud Falls and health status in elderly women following second eye cataract surgery: a randomised controlled trial Age Ageing, January 1, 2006; 35(1): 66 - 71. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Schwartz, O. Segal, Y. Barkana, R. Schwesig, I. Avni, and Y. Morad The Effect of Cataract Surgery on Postural Control Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., March 1, 2005; 46(3): 920 - 924. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 T. E. Lockhart, J. L. Smith, and J. C. Woldstad Effects of Aging on the Biomechanics of Slips and Falls Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, January 1, 2005; 47(4): 708 - 729. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R H Harwood, A J E Foss, F Osborn, R M Gregson, A Zaman, and T Masud Falls and health status in elderly women following first eye cataract surgery: a randomised controlled trial Br J Ophthalmol, January 1, 2005; 89(1): 53 - 59. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. Heasley, J. G. Buckley, A. Scally, P. Twigg, and D. B. Elliott Stepping Up to a New Level: Effects of Blurring Vision in the Elderly Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., July 1, 2004; 45(7): 2122 - 2128. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
V. Anand, J. G. Buckley, A. Scally, and D. B. Elliott Postural Stability Changes in the Elderly with Cataract Simulation and Refractive Blur Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., November 1, 2003; 44(11): 4670 - 4675. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
V. Anand, J. G. Buckley, A. Scally, and D. B. Elliott Postural Stability in the Elderly during Sensory Perturbations and Dual Tasking: The Influence of Refractive Blur Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., July 1, 2003; 44(7): 2885 - 2891. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. Day, B. Fildes, I. Gordon, M. Fitzharris, H. Flamer, and S. Lord Randomised factorial trial of falls prevention among older people living in their own homes BMJ, July 20, 2002; 325(7356): 128 - 128. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. Q. Ivers, R. Norton, R. G. Cumming, M. Butler, and A. J. Campbell Visual Impairment and Hip Fracture Am. J. Epidemiol., October 1, 2000; 152(7): 633 - 639. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. Camicioli, V. P. Panzer, and J. Kaye Balance in the Healthy Elderly: Posturography and Clinical Assessment Arch Neurol, August 1, 1997; 54(8): 976 - 981. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|