Assessment of visual function in institutionalized elderly patients.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the visual function and ocular health of frail elderly patients institutionalized in a tertiary care university-affiliated geriatric hospital.


METHODS
Retrospective file review.


METHODS
A university-affiliated geriatric hospital.


METHODS
440 patient files.


METHODS
The archived clinical files of patients from the long-term care beds of the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, who had died between April 2000 and 2004 were reviewed. Pertinent medical and visual characteristics were extracted and entered into a database for analysis.


RESULTS
The age of the patients ranged from 65 to 104 years. The major ocular conditions observed were cataract, pseudophakia, conjunctivitis-blepharitis, age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma. Of the 231 patients referred for a partial or full eye examination, visual acuity was available in 178. Visual impairment was considered absent in 87 patients; mild in 52; moderate in 17; and 22 patients were legally blind. Of the 105 patients referred for a full eye examination, an evaluation of the refraction, visual acuity, and ocular health was possible in 89, irrespective of their cognitive status.


CONCLUSIONS
These data demonstrate that the vast majority of severely disabled elderly patients examined retained good visual acuity into advanced age. The most prevalent ocular conditions observed are treatable, thereby emphasizing the importance of regular eye care for the institutionalized frail elderly. The results clearly demonstrate that it is possible to perform a complete evaluation of visual function and ocular health in the elderly institutionalized patient, independent of age, cognitive status, or communication disorders.
Carcenac
Guillaume
G
School of Optometry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Qc, Canada.
Hérard
Marie-Eve
ME
Kergoat
Marie-Jeanne
MJ
Lajeunesse
Yvette
Y
Champoux
Nathalie
N
Barsauskas
Allan
A
Kergoat
Hélène
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003704:Dementia; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D011792:Quebec; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015351:Vision Screening; D014785:Vision, Ocular; D014792:Visual Acuity