Falls - Vision Care for your elderly relative or friend - Please raise awareness!!

I just want to raise some awareness for your elderly relative, friend or acquaintance.

Good vision is extremely important for the elderly. The NHS funds sight tests for over sixty's at a 2 year interval. This then changes to once a year for those over 70 years of age.

The reason is simple. ·        

• It is normal for our eyes to change with age
• These changes are mainly loosing the ability to focus on near objects and taking longer to adapt to changing light conditions.
• Also with age come changes such as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration.
• Diseases like glaucoma may not necessarily give symptoms at an early stage.
• However timely treatment can make a big difference – so a regular eye examination will be able to pick up these changes before significant damage has occurred

We have found that FALLS are one of the biggest factors causing a serious and sudden deterioration in the quality of life. The risk of falling is reduced by having regular eye tests – as the tests will pick up anything that may need attention in a timely manner.  Also things like having good lighting around the house will help – your optometrist will be able to advise you on adequate levels of light.

An example was our very own next door neighbour, 92 years of age, who was found by my husband a 100 yards from home. He had tripped and broken his hip. He never came back home. He stayed in hospital for 3-4 months and then in a nursing home for a couple of month before giving up on life and passing away.

• Please talk to the elderly who are in contact with you.
• Ask them about their last visit to the opticians.
• If it has been greater than 2 years for over 60's or over 1 year for over 70's then please insist they visit their opticians.
• An eye examination often also helps detect other illnesses before they are diagnosed, a common example of this is fluctuating vision which changes on a day to day basis. Often this is a sign of diabetes, which is confirmed via the GP following blood tests, etc.
• There is so much available in the market today to help improve their vision.
• This will also indirectly help relieve pressure on the NHS by reducing monies spent on fracture clinics, radiology departments, pharmaceutical costs and lengthy stays in hospitals.

Finally, ask them to visit their local opticians, who will be more patient, and take their time in reviewing the patient and treat them as an individual and not as a number.

Thank you for taking the time in reading this short article.

Parita Shah