How Vision Impacts Fall Risk for the Elderly

Falls are one of the leading causes of injury among older adults, and while many factors can contribute to these accidents, vision is one of the main factors.

As we age, it’s natural for our vision to change. Common age-related conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy can significantly impair how well we see. When vision becomes affected, our depth perception, peripheral awareness, and our ability to see clearly in different lighting conditions, all of which are crucial for helping us to maintain balance and make our way round places safely.

For example, poor depth perception can make it difficult to judge steps or curbs, while reduced contrast sensitivity might make it hard to see changes in flooring. Glare from lighting or difficulty adjusting from light to dark environments can also increase the risk of tripping or stumbling.

Here are a few ways to reduce vision-related fall risks:

Regular eye tests

It is important to make sure that our elderly loved ones have up to date prescriptions and are visiting the opticians regularly. Some opticians offer at home eye tests so if you or your loved one struggle to get out and about, this could be the right option for you.

Having glasses can help us when our eyesight starts to deteriorate and when the prescription is not correct, it can often lead to tripping or falling over things that would have been spotted with the right lenses.

Improve Lighting

Lighting should be checked in the home of our elderly loved ones to make sure rooms, walkways and stairs are well lit. Brighter bulbs should be added to rooms that feel dull and dark when moving around as this could cause fall risks with objects being out of sight.

Motion sensored lights can be a good idea to light up hallways as our loved ones walk by them. This can help on a night for trips to the bathroom when lights are dim or turned off.

Avoid Highly Reflective Spaces

Something that affects trips and falls can be the type of flooring we have. For example, reflective, shiny laminate flooring, can affect our vision as the glare from the floor can make us unaware of trip hazards when walking.

To reduce this factor, you can use a matte finish on the floors which will remove the large glare from the light.

Use visual aids

People with reduced sight often respond better to colour. Having a contrasting colour on stairs could help someone see where each step is and help to reduce the risk of tripping up or down the stairs.

Visual aids like grab bars can help someone with poor eyesight get around their home easier as they can see when they can reach out for a bit of support if it is needed.

Taking proactive steps to support eye health and adapt the home environment can make a big difference in fall prevention.

If you feel you or your loved one would benefit with help from Homelium or for a free home fall risk assessment, please call 0333 3448 677 or email us at hello@homelium.com.