Bifocals May Up Risk of
Falling in Older Adults

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A single pair of glasses that corrects both close and distant vision may increase the risk of falls in older adults, researchers report.

Their study of 156 men and women aged 63 to 90 years found that those who wore such multifocal glasses were more than twice as likely as those with other types of glasses to fall at some point in the next year, either outside their homes or walking up or down stairs.

Adults who wore multifocals also performed poorly on tests of depth perception for targets positioned at ground level and two steps in front of them. This distance, the researchers explain, is a critical distance for discerning potential dangers when walking.

The 87 adults (56%) who wore multifocal glasses regularly were tested twice for their ability to detect objects while walking. First, their chins were positioned on a chin rest so they were able to look down through the lower portion of their glasses only. The chin rest was removed in a second test so that they could move their head to look down.

The findings, published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, may serve as a red flag for elderly adults and their eye doctors. While the glasses may be convenient and appropriate for younger adults, they may not be appropriate for older adults, who may suffer from declining strength, balance and lower limb sensation.

"Multifocal glasses appear to increase the risk of a tripping fall by reducing the capacity of older people to perceive obstacles in the environment," Dr. Stephen R. Lord and colleagues from the Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute in Randwick, Australia, conclude.

Unfamiliar settings outside the home that include steps, curbs, and uneven ground may be particularly dangerous.

In the study, the 12% of multifocal lens wearers who decided not to wear their glasses when walking outside did not have an increased risk of falling, according to the report.

"Viewing the environment through the lower lenses of multifocal glasses adversely affects the important visual capabilities for detecting environmental hazards, which predisposes older people to falls, particularly in challenging or unfamiliar environments," the researchers write.

SOURCE: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2002;50.

Reference Source 89

For more information on how to prevent other diseases, use
PreventDisease.com's "Quick Prevention Resources".