Falls Prevention and Vision

In the UK, one in eight people aged over 75 and one in three aged over 90 live with sight impairment. Preventing falls and promoting safe locomotion presents a particular challenge for older people with poor sight. Evidence suggests sight impairment in older people is associated with increases in the incidence of falls and hip fractures. Compared to the general older population, this group is 1.7 times more likely to fall, 1.9 times more likely to have multiple falls and 1.3–1.9 times more likely to experience hip fractures.

A recent study also found that older people with eye diseases (age‐related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and Fuchs corneal dystrophy) were around three times more likely than those with good vision to limit their activities due to a fear of falling (Source report can be found by clicking here)

In this helpful video, Dr Liz Hill talks about what people can do to keep their eyes healthy.

There is a range of useful videos about how to prevent falls on this NHS webpage