@article{ref1,
title="Development and validation of Visual Impairment as a Risk for Falls Questionnaire",
journal="Age and ageing",
year="2018",
author="Labreche, Tammy and Nandakumar, Krithika and Althomali, Mohammed and Leat, Susan J.",
volume="47",
number="3",
pages="444-450",
abstract="PURPOSE: visual impairment is associated with an increased risk of falls, yet eye care professionals are infrequently members of falls prevention clinics. The aim of this preliminary study was to validate a newly created Visual Impairment as a Risk for Falls Questionnaire intended to be used by those professionals not involved in eye care. <br><br>METHODS: about 53 participants with various visual impairments known to be associated with falls and 33 participants with normal sight were contacted within 4 months of a full oculo-visual assessment and were asked the questions from the current questionnaire pertaining to their visual function. A retrospective file review was undertaken and the sensitivity and specificity of participants' responses were calculated compared to the actual vision impairment based on the findings from their visual assessment. <br><br>RESULTS: the question regarding ability to read was included to identify people with central vision loss, a risk factor for falling. It was found to have sensitivity of 74% and specificity of 87%. Both sensitivity and specificity improved when participants with cognitive impairment were excluded. The question on recognising facial features gave sensitivity of 73% and specificity of 97% for this subgroup. However, questions related to impairments in stereopsis and peripheral fields were not useful. <br><br>CONCLUSION: the study demonstrates that several questions of the new questionnaire are useful; however, further testing with a larger population is needed to fully validate the questionnaire for use by health care professionals.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0002-0729",
doi="10.1093/ageing/afx202",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afx202"
}