Don’t let poor vision trip you up!

Who’s a trip and fall hazard? As we age, we can become more susceptible to slips, trips and falls. There are a myriad of reasons why older people fall.

Did you know that older people with impaired vision are twice as likely to end up in hospital because of fall than those with great vision? And the news becomes a little more disturbing when we discover that 75% of people hospitalised because of a fall have a vision problem that can be easily corrected.

All they need to do is see their optometrist to update the prescription for their spectacles. If cataracts are the cause of vision impairment organise to have them surgically removed.

We can’t all have 20/20 in later life but we can take care of the vision we have. Our ability to see is important for our health and wellbeing including our mental health and for social inclusion and participation.

If you’re an older person or a relative or a carer of an older person who is:

• more frequently mentioning they didn’t see an object; or,
• starting to trip and slip more than usual; or,
• having falls….

see your general practitioner and make an appointment with your optometrist.

Reference:

This is an academic publication.

Ho KC, Haddock R. Reinforcing the role of eye care practitioners in falls prevention among older adults. Deeble Institute for Health Policy Research Issues Brief no: 57
Canberra: Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association; 2024. p. 41. https://ahha.asn.au/resource/reinforcing-the-role-of-eye-care-practitioners-in-falls-prevention-among-older-adults/ (Accessed 9 August 2024)