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Blur increases risk of trip, fall among older individuals
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In older adults, researchers discovered that increasing gaze position farther ahead from stepping locations and the presence of blur negatively impact the stepping accuracy.
Nineteen healthy older adults an average age of 71.6 years with normal vision performed a series of precision stepping tasks directed to a fixed target.
Before each stepping trial, participants were instructed to fixate on one of three gaze positions: on the stepping target, 30 cm farther forward or away from the stepping target or 60 cm farther forward or away from the stepping target. Participants completed each trial with best-corrected vision and with a +2.50 DS blur.
Mean binocular visual acuity was -0.04 ±0.07 logMAR. The +2.50 DS blurring lenses reduced binocular visual acuity to 0.54 ±0.13 logMAR.
Nine participants wore no multifocal correction, and 10 wore a multifocal correction; of these, five wore bifocals and five wore progressives.
In both visual conditions, post hoc comparisons showed absolute stepping errors were significantly larger with increasing gaze eccentricity from the target, according to the researchers.
Overstepping most often resulted from the 60-cm gaze position.
With the blurred vision, participants significantly under-stepped onto the target at the 30 cm and 60 cm gaze compared with the on-target position.
“These findings are important given that many older adults wear multifocal spectacle corrections when walking, and the feet-forward nature of visual control when walking means that their gaze is generally directed about two steps ahead of the target,” the researchers wrote.
Furthermore, viewing targets laterally, about 10 degrees to the left and right of a stepping target, led to greater stepping errors compared with on-target viewing in a group of young healthy participants, according to researchers. – by Abigail Sutton
Disclosure: The researchers reported no relevant financial disclosures.
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