TOPLINE:
Vision impairment is associated with increased risks for social isolation and symptoms of depression and anxiety among older adults in the United States, new research showed.
METHODOLOGY:
- Researchers analyzed data from 2019 and 2021 in the National Health and Aging Trends Study. They focused on 2822 Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥ 65 years.
- Participants' vision was assessed using objective measures while wearing their usual glasses or contacts, if any, and by self-report.
- Those with distance visual acuity worse than 20/40, near visual acuity worse than 20/40, or contrast sensitivity worse than 1.55 logCS were considered to have objective vision impairment.
- Symptoms of depression and anxiety were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire. The degree of social isolation was based on living arrangements, the frequency of communication with others, and participation in activities.
TAKEAWAY:
- Nearly one third of the participants had vision impairment based on objective measurements of eye function.
- Objectively measured vision impairment was significantly associated with symptoms of depression (odds ratio [OR], 1.81) and anxiety (OR, 1.74) and with severe social isolation (OR, 2.01).
- Self-reported vision impairment also was associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety, but the result for severe social isolation was not statistically significant.
- The findings were similar for each type of vision impairment.
IN PRACTICE:
"One possible explanation for the observed associations is that poor vision leads to activity restrictions, mostly outside the home environment, resulting in limited social participation," the authors of the study wrote. "Another explanation is that adults with poor vision may experience difficulties in communication, which may be attributed to the absence of visual social cues. Over time, these challenges may result in reduced social participation."
Future studies should aim to enhance the health and inclusion of people with vision impairment, they said.
SOURCE:
Pradeep Y. Ramulu, MD, MHS, PhD, with the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, was the corresponding author on the study. The research was published online on February 22, 2024, in JAMA Ophthalmology.
LIMITATIONS:
The cross-sectional design of the study limits the ability to determine whether vision impairment causes psychosocial problems. The researchers did not look at how other sensory impairments such as hearing loss might have influenced the results.
DISCLOSURES:
Authors disclosed grants from the National Institutes of Health and financial support and consulting fees from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.