Optometria: Acesso Aberto

Abstrato

Visual Impairment and Recurrent Falls in the Elderly: A Comprehensive Systematic Review

Luciana Marie

Visual impairment is a prevalent age-related condition that can significantly impact an individual's mobility and balance, potentially increasing the risk of falls among the elderly population. This article presents a comprehensive systematic review aimed at examining the association between visual impairment and recurrent falls in older adults. By synthesizing the available evidence, this review seeks to provide valuable insights into the complex relationship between visual deficits and fall risk, shedding light on potential preventive strategies and interventions to improve the safety and well-being of elderly individuals. A qualitative systematic analysis of these studies was performed. The evidence about poor depth perception/stereo acuity and poor low-contrast visual acuity as risk factors of recurrent falls is quite convincing. Discrepant vision, a decrease in visual acuity, and loss of visual field may be risk factors, but more studies are needed. The results concerning the relationships between poor visual acuity and poor contrast sensitivity and the risk of recurrent falls are controversial.