Reduced Mobility in Elderly is Associated with Vision Problems
- Visual impairment affects huge portion of the older population in the United States.[1]
- Vision problems include presbyopia, cataract, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy.
- Researchers reveal the relationship between visual impairment and mobility functions.
- The study includes 2,809 elderly Japanese over 70 years of age who lived in the Nara Prefecture.
- All subjects went comprehensive eye examination.
- Subjects who had worse than 20/40 best-corrected visual acuity in the better eye were considered visually impaired.
- Walking speed and one-leg standing time were also determined.
- Subjects also took test to evaluate their medical history and health conditions.
- The result revealed that individuals with visual impairment had significantly slower walking speeds and shorter on-leg standing time.
- The strength of association between slower walking speed and the visually impaired individuals was significantly higher than non-visually impaired individuals.
- Researchers adjusted other variables including age, sex, smoking habit, and health condition and found out that the strength of association between slower walking speed and visually impaired individuals was still significantly higher.
- The results indicate that walking speed and one-leg standing times are correlated with visual impairment.
Source:
Miyata K, Yoshikawa T, Harano A, Ueda T, Ogata N (2021) Effects of visual impairment on mobility functions in elderly: Results of Fujiwara-kyo Eye Study. PLoS ONE 16(1): e0244997. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244997
[1] Chan, T., Friedman, D. S., Bradley, C., & Massof, R. (2018). Estimates of Incidence and Prevalence of Visual Impairment, Low Vision, and Blindness in the United States. JAMA ophthalmology, 136(1), 12–19. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2017.4655
Related Research
Research Article: Rapid Assessment of Visual Impairment in Urban Population of Delhi, India
Date Published: April 27, 2015 Publisher: Public Library of Science Author(s): Noopur Gupta, Praveen Vashist, Sumit Malhotra, Suraj Singh Senjam, Vasundhara Misra, Amit Bhardwaj, Ulla Kou Griffiths. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0124206 Abstract: To determine the prevalence, causes and associated demographic factors related to visual impairment amongst the urban population of New Delhi, India. A population-based, cross-sectional study was … Continue reading
Research Article: A Case-Control Study to Assess the Relationship between Poverty and Visual Impairment from Cataract in Kenya, the Philippines, and Bangladesh
Date Published: December 16, 2008 Publisher: Public Library of Science Author(s): Hannah Kuper, Sarah Polack, Cristina Eusebio, Wanjiku Mathenge, Zakia Wadud, Allen Foster, Peter McCluskey Abstract: BackgroundThe link between poverty and health is central to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Poverty can be both a cause and consequence of poor health, but there are few … Continue reading
Research Article: Towards population screening for Cerebral Visual Impairment: Validity of the Five Questions and the CVI Questionnaire
Date Published: March 26, 2019 Publisher: Public Library of Science Author(s): Fiona Gorrie, Karen Goodall, Robert Rush, John Ravenscroft, Yee Cheng Kueh. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214290 Abstract: Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) is the most common cause of visual impairment in children in the developed world and appears to be more prevalent in children with additional support needs (ASN). … Continue reading
