A new study from the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research provides new findings that vision problems in older adults lead to a higher risk of falling, a significant cause of older adult injury and a contributor to mortality risk.

According to the study, which was published in Innovation in Aging, past research shows that two-thirds of unintentional injuries among older adults stem from falls. “Our findings show that older adults with visual difficulty are more likely to experience recurrent falls and, and this in turn, increases their risk of mortality,” said Shu Xu, a fellow with the Survey Research Center and the Population Studies Center at the Institute for Social Research.

The study tracks past research that links vision problems to increased fall risk and adds to the discussion based on six years of data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study.  The new data analysis finds that older adults with vision difficulties have a higher likelihood of falling two or more times in a one-year observation period than those with normal eyesight.

 What’s more, older adults “with visual difficulty who experienced recurrent falls had the lowest survival probabilities, whereas those without visual difficulty and who did not experience recurrent falls had the highest survival rates,” according to the study.

Past research has explored a number of reasons that the chance of falling increases with decreased eyesight.  Put simply, it makes navigating environmental hazards more difficult, can lead to a lack of stability on stairs, and increases the risk of tripping on obstacles in one’s path.

The study and an Institute for Social Research news article about it counsels the adoption of preventive measures associated with living environments, a focus on eye care, and improved caregiver attention to fall prevention. But it also points to the importance of the development of government-related fall prevention policies for older adults, the need for future research and “practical implications for public health.”

Among the suggestions:

• Policies that improve access to affordable, regular eye care for older adults, particularly those in underserved communities

• The development of “Fall prevention programs that include exercise regimens designed to improve balance, strength, and coordination.”

• “Community-based programs like tai chi or physical therapy sessions (that) could help enhance functional mobility and reduce fall risk.”

• Addressing systemic barriers, such as disparities in healthcare access and affordability

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