Eye checks could prevent falls

A significant proportion of falls-related injuries could be avoided by regular eye examinations, according to Optometrists Association Australia.

A significant number of fall-related injuries could be avoided if older people had regular eye examinations.

This is the key message of a national campaign by Optometrists Association Australia (OAA) which has a focus on falls prevention.

The campaign will be directed through local optometrists who will display posters and brochures encouraging older people to have their eyes checked.

“You can prevent some falls from happening by correcting vision,” said OAA’s professional services manager, Shirley Loh.

“There are a number of factors that contribute to falls and if you address some of them, you will increase the chance of preventing the fall.”

The association says that even the slightest change in vision can seriously affect people’s safety.

Some of the common eye problems that contribute to falls include reduced visual clarity, narrow fields of vision and poor depth perception, which makes it harder for people to spot hazards and to judge the position of steps and obstacles.

Optometrists recommend that older people receive regular eye checks.

“It’s not unusual to have a check-up once every two years if there is nothing wrong,” said Ms Loh.

“And if something has been diagnosed, such as glaucoma, annual checks might be recommended by an optometrist.”

The association is also keen to stress that older people should not simply accept poor eyesight as a ‘necessary’ part of ageing.

“It’s obvious that changes do occur as we age but some of them can be corrected and some can be slowed in their progression,” Ms Loh said. “Early diagnosis is the key to maintaining quality of life for most eye conditions.”

Tags: eye-sight, falls-prevention, optometrists,

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