More than one out of four adults over age 65 in the U.S. fall each year, making it the leading cause of injuries among older adults. With these statistics in mind, fall prevention is essential for seniors to safeguard their health.
Read on to learn about how ongoing vision care can help prevent falls among seniors in Tampa and Zephyrhills.
How Vision Affects Seniors’ Fall Risk
Impaired vision increases older adults’ risk of falling by more than double. Poor vision can make it difficult to maintain stability, causing many people to alter their gait to avoid obstacles. This increases the likelihood of trips, slips, and falls.
Considering that around a third of people have a vision-reducing eye disorder by age 65, vision care should be a primary component of adults’ annual wellness routines.
Conditions That Can Reduce Vision in Older Age
Some of the most common eye conditions that can compromise your vision in older age include:
- Cataracts, the clouding of the eye’s natural lens, affects more than half of people over 80 in the U.S.
- Glaucoma causes damage to the optic nerve, usually when fluid accumulates at the front of the eye. This increases the pressure within the eye, leading to damage and potential vision loss.
- Macular degeneration involves damage to the macula. Age-related macular degeneration can cause blurring of the central vision.
- Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition that affects diabetics. It involves abnormal blood vessel growth in the retina, which may lead to vision loss if it’s left untreated.
Routine vision screenings in South Florida make it possible to catch these conditions in their early stages before they cause permanent damage. Early intervention allows for more effective treatment and minimizes the risk not only of vision loss but also of falls.
Reach out to The Eye Clinic of Florida today to schedule your next vision screening!