Speaker: Andrea P. Thau, O.D.
What's the significance of the APHA report on falls?
Andrea P. Thau, O.D.: The American Public Health Association recently adopted a falls prevention policy for adults aged 65 and over that was authored by members of the vision care section and the foot and ankle sections of the American Public Health Association including Dr. Andy Morgenstern and me. This policy is critically important because 25% of adults aged 65 and over will experience a fall within the year. These falls can lead to injury, loss of independence and even death. And we, as doctors of optometry, can play an important role in preventing falls.
What's the role of optometry in preventing falls?
Andrea P. Thau, O.D.: Vision plays a critical role in falls and falls prevention. Uncorrected refractive error, having the wrong style of lens -- a bifocals or progressive. instead of single vision or having eye health issues like macular degeneration, glaucoma or cataracts, all of which can impact clarity, depth perception and contrast. All of these problems can increase a patient's risk of falls. And as a doctor of optometry in America's trusted primary eye care provider, you are well positioned to be able to assess those problems and address them as best as possible and prevent the fall from taking place.
What can doctors of optometry do immediately in their practices to help patients prevent falls?
Andrea P. Thau, O.D.: As a doctor of optometry, it's important for you to think about falls prevention and to talk to your patients about it and alert them to all the things that they can do visually to decrease their likelihood of falling. That includes coming in to see you for their annual in-person comprehensive eye examination, getting an updated eyeglass or contact lens prescription to ensure that they're seeing as clearly as possible, to make sure that they're wearing the right lens design to decrease their risk of falling. And of course, making sure that their eyes are healthy and taking the proper steps to maintain and preserve their eye health, including treating cataracts, making sure that they are getting the proper treatment for macular degeneration and also making sure that their glaucoma is well treated. We as doctors of optometry are trusted by our patients and they will heed our advice and guidance. If you can prevent your patient from experiencing a fall, you can make a tremendously positive impact in their life, not just today and tomorrow, but for the rest of their life.
