@article{ref1,
title="Coordination of gaze behavior and foot placement during walking in persons with glaucoma",
journal="Journal of glaucoma",
year="2018",
author="Miller, Andreas B. and Lajoie, Kim and Strath, Robert A. and Neima, David R. and Marigold, Daniel S.",
volume="27",
number="1",
pages="55-63",
abstract="PURPOSE: Vision normally provides environmental information necessary to direct the foot to safe locations during walking. Peripheral visual field loss limits what a person can see, and may alter how a person visually samples the environment. Here we tested the hypothesis that the spatial-temporal coupling between gaze and stepping in a precision-based walking task is altered in persons with glaucoma, particularly under dual task situations, and results in reduced foot-placement accuracy. <br><br>METHODS: Twenty persons with glaucoma and twenty normally-sighted controls performed a precision walking task that involved stepping to the center of four targets under three conditions: targets only, walking and counting backwards to simulate a conversation, and walking while performing a concurrent visual search task to simulate locating a landmark. We quantified foot-placement error and error variability with respect to the targets, as well as saccade and fixation timing with respect to foot placement. <br><br>RESULTS: Compared to controls, persons with glaucoma looked earlier at future stepping targets (with respect to toe-off of the foot) in the targets only and count conditions, and transferred gaze away sooner from the current stepping target in all conditions (P<0.05). Persons with glaucoma also had increased foot-placement error, particularly in the count condition, and increased foot-placement error variability compared to normally-sighted controls (P<0.05). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Glaucoma significantly disrupts gaze-foot coordination and results in less accurate foot placement when precision is required during walking. This may increase the risk of trips and falls in this population.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1057-0829",
doi="10.1097/IJG.0000000000000819",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/IJG.0000000000000819"
}