BMJ 2001;322:554 ( 3 March )

Letters

Guidelines for prevention of falls in people aged over 65 

    Guidelines should state that assessment of vision is important
    Health improvement plans must incorporate falls and osteoporosis strategies

Guidelines should state that assessment of vision is important

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR---A fall in an older person can have severe personal as well as healthcare implications. Feder et al have given important guidelines for the prevention of falls in people aged over 65.1 Their aim was to translate trial evidence into recommendations to reduce the rate of falls in people aged over 65.

The methods used to gather information did not seem to include any references to the patients' visual function. There have been several reports linking poor visual function with an increased risk of falls or fractures related to falls.2-4 A recent study by Ivers et al shows that decreased visual function is a risk factor for hip fractures.5

It would seem logical that people who do not see well are more likely to fall than those who do see well. It is unfortunate, then, that the guidelines given do not contain any references to improving visual function. . . . [Full text of this article]
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Relevant Article

Guidelines for the prevention of falls in people over 65
Gene Feder, Colin Cryer, Sheila Donovan, and Yvonne Carter
BMJ 2000 321: 1007-1011. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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