Falls are the most serious and frequent home accident amongst elderly. Most falls occur during walking. Vision is reduced with ageing and visual impairments affect balance. Uncorrected visual deficits and balance problems are reported to be risk factors for falls and fall related fractures. The present project uses a longitudinal design and aims at assessing the impact of cataract surgery on balance and gait as risk factors for falls.
A longitudinal design is used, where subjects referred to the Cataract Unit are tested 1-3 weeks in advance of the surgery, and 4-6 weeks and 12 months after the surgery. Outcome measures are visual function, falls, balance and gait. Secondary outcome is quality of life, fear of falling and daily life functioning
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
148
surgery one one or two eyes by use of two different types of lenses and correcting for refraction
Section of Geriatric Medicine, St. Olavs University Hospital
Trondheim, Trondheim, Norway
Falls
Time frame: over one year
Visual function
Time frame: pre surgery, 6-9 weeks and 1 year post surgery
Health related Quality of Life
Time frame: pre surgery, 6-9 weeks and one year after surgery
Gait
Time frame: pre surgery, 6-9 weeks and one year after surgery
Fear of falling
Time frame: pre surgery, 6-9 weeks and one year after surgery
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