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Association of Fast Visual Field Loss With Risk of Falling in Patients With Glaucoma.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Baig, S; Diniz-Filho, A; Wu, Z; Abe, RY; Gracitelli, CPB; Cabezas, E; Medeiros, FA
Published in: JAMA Ophthalmol
August 1, 2016

IMPORTANCE: Patients with glaucoma and a history of fast visual field loss might be at an increased risk for falls compared with those with a history of slow visual field loss, but, to date, this association has not been previously investigated in the literature. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between self-reported falls and past rate of visual field loss in a cohort of patients with glaucoma followed up over time. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This observational cohort study included patients diagnosed as having glaucoma who had been followed up at the Visual Performance Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, at 6-month intervals for a mean (SD) of 7.5 (2.6) years from January 1, 2005, through December 31, 2015. Self-reported number of falls during the past year was obtained at the last follow-up visit. Integrated binocular fields were estimated from the monocular fields. Linear mixed models were used to calculate rates of change in binocular mean sensitivity over time. Poisson models were used to evaluate the association between the self-reported number of falls and rates of visual field loss. The models adjusted for the current level of visual field damage and other confounding variables. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Association between rates of binocular visual field loss and self-reported number of falls. RESULTS: The study included 116 patients with glaucoma with a mean (SD) age of 73.1 (10.7) years (55 women [47.4%], 84 white individuals [72.4%], and 32 black individuals [27.6%]). Of the 116 patients, 29 (25.0%) reported at least 1 fall in the previous year. The mean rate of change in binocular mean sensitivity was faster for patients who reported a history of falls vs those who did not (-0.36 vs -0.17 dB/y; mean difference, 0.20 dB/y; 95% CI, 0.09-0.31 dB/y; P < .001). History of fast visual field loss was significantly associated with falls (rate ratio, 2.28 per 0.5 dB/y faster; 95% CI, 1.15-4.52 db/y; P = .02), even after adjusting for confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The rate of visual field loss was associated with a self-reported history of falls in the past year even after taking into account the magnitude of visual field defect. However, although a positive association was found, further studies are necessary to establish whether a cause-and-effect relationship exists between rate of visual field loss and self-reported history of falls.

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Published In

JAMA Ophthalmol

DOI

EISSN

2168-6173

Publication Date

August 1, 2016

Volume

134

Issue

8

Start / End Page

880 / 886

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Visual Fields
  • Visual Field Tests
  • Visual Acuity
  • Vision, Binocular
  • Time Factors
  • Sickness Impact Profile
  • Self Report
  • Scotoma
  • Prospective Studies
  • Ophthalmology & Optometry
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Baig, S., Diniz-Filho, A., Wu, Z., Abe, R. Y., Gracitelli, C. P. B., Cabezas, E., & Medeiros, F. A. (2016). Association of Fast Visual Field Loss With Risk of Falling in Patients With Glaucoma. JAMA Ophthalmol, 134(8), 880–886. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.1659
Baig, Saif, Alberto Diniz-Filho, Zhichao Wu, Ricardo Y. Abe, Carolina P. B. Gracitelli, Eric Cabezas, and Felipe A. Medeiros. “Association of Fast Visual Field Loss With Risk of Falling in Patients With Glaucoma.JAMA Ophthalmol 134, no. 8 (August 1, 2016): 880–86. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.1659.
Baig S, Diniz-Filho A, Wu Z, Abe RY, Gracitelli CPB, Cabezas E, et al. Association of Fast Visual Field Loss With Risk of Falling in Patients With Glaucoma. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2016 Aug 1;134(8):880–6.
Baig, Saif, et al. “Association of Fast Visual Field Loss With Risk of Falling in Patients With Glaucoma.JAMA Ophthalmol, vol. 134, no. 8, Aug. 2016, pp. 880–86. Pubmed, doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.1659.
Baig S, Diniz-Filho A, Wu Z, Abe RY, Gracitelli CPB, Cabezas E, Medeiros FA. Association of Fast Visual Field Loss With Risk of Falling in Patients With Glaucoma. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2016 Aug 1;134(8):880–886.

Published In

JAMA Ophthalmol

DOI

EISSN

2168-6173

Publication Date

August 1, 2016

Volume

134

Issue

8

Start / End Page

880 / 886

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Visual Fields
  • Visual Field Tests
  • Visual Acuity
  • Vision, Binocular
  • Time Factors
  • Sickness Impact Profile
  • Self Report
  • Scotoma
  • Prospective Studies
  • Ophthalmology & Optometry