Module 3: Vision

Vision and Falls

Eye doctors can assess your vision, prescribe the best eyewear to fit your needs and lifestyle, and check for early signs of eye diseases. These are some things to consider when it comes to your eyesight and fall risk:

Is your prescription still right for you?
Your eyesight can change as you grow older, and your old glasses or contacts may no longer be able to fully correct your vision problems. This can lead to seeing thing less clearly than you could with better glasses, which can lead to falls. Fortunately, your eye doctor can easily test for this, and new glasses can reduce your risk of falls and improve your quality of life.

Did you know that bifocals, trifocals, or progressive lenses can increase your risk for falls?
Wearing bifocal, trifocal, or progressive lenses when you’re outside can sometimes make things seem closer or farther away than they are. Older adults who switched from using their bifocals to using single-distance lenses and had counseling about the use of glasses outdoors decreased their number of falls by 8%.

Cataracts can develop without you noticing.
Cataracts develop over time and can make your vision blurry and make it harder to see both at a distance (such as when you are driving) and close-up (such as when you are reading). Treating cataracts can reduce your risk of falling and improve your quality of life. Older adults who had their cataracts removed had fewer falls compared with those who did not. Talk to an ophthalmologist to determine if you are a candidate for cataract removal.

Some medications can lead to blurred vision and dizziness.
Some medications, like those taken for high blood pressure, and for urinary incontinence, can lead to blurred vision and dizziness. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you might be able to improve your vision by stopping, switching, or reducing the dose of your medication.