title: Visual acuity, self-reported vision and falls in the EPIC-Norfolk Eye study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between visual acuity (VA) and self-reported vision (SRV) in relation to falls in 8317 participants of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer-Norfolk Eye study.
  
  
  METHODS
  All participants completed a health questionnaire that included a question regarding SRV and questions regarding the number of falls in the past year. Distance VA was measured using a logMAR chart for each eye. Poor SRV was defined as those reporting fair or poor distance vision. The relationship between VA and SRV and self-rated falls was analysed by logistic regression, adjusting for age, sex, physical activity, body mass index, chronic disease, medication use and grip strength.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 8317 participants, 26.7% (95% CI 25.7% to 27.7%) had fallen in the past 12 months. Worse VA and poorer SRV were associated with one or more falls in multivariable analysis (OR for falls=1.31, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.66 and OR=1.32, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.61, respectively). Poorer SRV was significantly associated with falls even after adjusting for VA (OR=1.28, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.57).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SRV was associated with falls independently of VA and could be used as a simple proxy measure for other aspects of visual function to detect people requiring vision-related falls interventions.
authors: Department of Public Health & Primary Care, University of Cambridge, , Cambridge, UK.
authors: Jennifer L Y
authors: JL
authors: Yip
authors: Anthony P
authors: AP
authors: Khawaja
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Broadway
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Luben
authors: Shabina
authors: S
authors: Hayat
authors: Nichola
authors: N
authors: Dalzell
authors: Amit
authors: A
authors: Bhaniani
authors: Nicholas
authors: N
authors: Wareham
authors: Kay-Tee
authors: KT
authors: Khaw
authors: Paul J
authors: PJ
authors: Foster
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: falls; self report; vision tests; visual acuity