Various Eye Diseases Raise Risk for Falls

Poor vision is associated with risks for falls and fractures, but details about risks associated with specific eye diseases are less clear. In this retrospective U.K. cohort study, researchers identified nearly 600,000 patients (mean age, 74) with cataracts, glaucoma, or age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and compared them with age- and sex-matched control patients who did not have eye diseases. Falls and fractures were tracked for a median of about 4 years. Analyses were adjusted for a wide range of chronic diseases and medications that increase risk for falls.

Compared with controls, patients with eye diseases had significantly higher hazard ratios for falls and fractures: HRs ranged from 1.18 to 1.38 for the three eye-disease groups. …