Disparities between ambient, standard lighting and retinal acuities in community-dwelling older people: Implications for disability.
OBJECTIVE
To examine three types of visual ability-ambient acuity, standard lighting acuity, and retinal acuity-and their relationship with self-reported disability.


METHODS
Cross-sectional prevalence survey.


METHODS
New York, New York.


METHODS
Community-dwelling older people.


METHODS
Ambient acuity assessed using a near reading card; standard lighting acuity and retinal acuity assessed using the Retinal Acuity Meter. Difficulty in activities of daily living was assessed according to self-report.


RESULTS
Mean logMAR acuities were 0.44 (20/56) for ambient acuity, 0.33 (20/44) for standard lighting acuity, and 0.19 (20/31) for retinal acuity (all pairwise differences, P < .001). Given the distribution of disability by ambient acuity in this sample, improving ambient acuity to the level of retinal acuity could potentially reduce self-care disability 22%.


CONCLUSIONS
Better utilization of retinal acuity through optimal ophthalmologic care and improvement in lighting would likely reduce disability in older adults.
Albert
Steven M
SM
Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA. smalbert@pitt.edu
Bear-Lehman
Jane
J
Burkhardt
Ann
A
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005139:Eyeglasses; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008029:Lighting / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D012648:Self Care; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D014792:Visual Acuity