When was the last time you had your eyes checked? Your answer might make all the difference between having a fall and staying steady and independent. Falls can have serious consequences, leading to serious injury.
Injury Matters’ Stay On Your Feet® program provides older adults with a range of strategies to prevent falls, and stay strong, active and connected to their community.
Impaired vision or underlying eye conditions can increase your risk of having a fall, as it becomes harder to see hazards such as uneven footpaths, edges of steps or objects, and spills on the floor.
Injury Matters General Manager – Injury Prevention, Samantha Menezes said older adults with vision impairment are twice as likely to fall as those without vision loss.
“Good vision assists older adults maintain balance while doing daily activities and enable them to identify hazards or obstacles that may trip them up,” she said.
Five things to look out for include: Eye pain/dryness, Spots or floaters in your vision, Blurred vision or halos around lights, changes in depth perception, or increased sensitivity to light or glare.
Ms Menezes said, “Any changes or discomfort with your eyes should be discussed with an optometrist or GP as soon as possible, and regular eye health checks with your optometrist or ophthalmologist are recommended,”
“Even if you think all is fine, things like age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma often don’t have early symptoms. An eye test can detect the early signs of eye conditions before the symptoms occur, many of which can be treated,” she said.
For more information on eye health, removing hazards, and other ways to prevent a fall, visit www.stayonyourfeet.com.au or call 1800 30 35 40.
Injury Matters’ Stay On Your Feet® program aims to empower older adults with the knowledge and resources they need to make informed decisions about their health, promoting positive ageing and reducing the risk of falls.
