Visual Acuity and Falls in South Korea: Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2012.
10.3341/jkos.2016.57.9.1451
- Author:
Min Jae KANG
1
;
Tyler Hyungtaek RIM
;
Sung Soo KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Falls;
Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES);
Low vision;
Visual acuity
- MeSH:
Accidental Falls*;
Adult;
Aged;
Arthritis;
Comorbidity;
Humans;
Hypertension;
Korea*;
Logistic Models;
Macular Degeneration;
Nutrition Surveys*;
Odds Ratio;
Stroke;
Vision, Low;
Visual Acuity*
- From:Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society
2016;57(9):1451-1459
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: To assess the influence of visual acuity (VA) and ocular condition on falls. METHODS: We analyzed 28,899 Korean adults using cross-sectional data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2008-2012). Associations between best corrected VA based on better or worse seeing eye and ocular condition and falls were identified using multivariable logistic regression. We included sociodemographic factors and comorbidities including hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, acute myocardial infarction/angina, and stroke as independent variables. VA was divided into 1.0, 0.8, 0.5-0.63, and <0.5. RESULTS: Among 28,899 subjects, falls occurred in 511. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, low VA based on the better seeing eye was significantly associated with falls (VA 1.0 as a reference group; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00-1.72 in VA of 0.8; aOR = 1.86, 95% CI, 1.07-3.24 in VA of 0.5-0.63; and aOR = 1.21, 95% CI, 0.58-2.54 in VA of <0.5; p = 0.025 for trend). There was no association between VA based on the worse seeing eye and falls. Early age-related macular degeneration was associated with falls in univariable analysis (OR = 2.24) and age- and sex-adjusted analysis (aOR = 1.52), but not in multivariable analysis. In terms of age subgroups, subjects with VA of 0.5-0.63 were more likely to have experienced falls compared with subjects with VA of 1.0 (aOR = 5.83, 95% CI, 1.58-21.54) among subjects 50 years of age or younger. An increasing trend of falls with decreasing VA among subjects between 50 and 70 years of age was observed (p = 0.033 for trend). However, no such association was observed in elderly subjects ≥70 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: VA should be considered for preventing falls because lower VA is associated with increased risk of falls.
