EyeWorld is the official news magazine of the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery.
Issue link: https://digital.eyeworld.org/i/1021247
49 EW GLAUCOMA September 2018 Contact information Asaoka: ryoasa0120@mac.com Ramulu: pramulu@jhmi.edu Trudeau: strudeau@aota.org Trudeau said. For example, install- ing a grab bar in the shower may be helpful, but its optimal placement will vary individually. 3. Think better lighting and contrast. This may be something that an occupational therapist would address in more detail with a home visit, but it's something to keep in mind if patients ask about falls risk or if physicians plan to update their office to cut down on the risk for falls. Better lighting and better contrast are two areas often discussed during home visits about falls, Dr. Trudeau said. He gave the example of a pristine white bath- room that may look great, but the lack of contrast can raise the risk for falls. Contrasting the color of the walls and floors—in addition to better lighting in the bathroom and other home areas—can be helpful, he said. Patients who have home visits are often pleasantly surprised to learn that switching to brighter LED bulbs can also save on their electric bill, Dr. Trudeau said. 4. Let patients know that falls are not inevitable. "Falls are not a natural part of aging," Dr. Trudeau said. That knowledge would hope- fully prompt clients to seek help if they experience one or more falls, instead of accepting it as a reality because they have vision loss or are getting older. 5. Find out about area pro- grams that focus on falls pre- vention, medication review, and strength/balance training. "These programs are likely to be useful even if they are not specifically tailored to the visually impaired," Dr. Ramulu said. EW References 1. Adachi S, et al. Factors associated with the occurrence of a fall in subjects with primary open-angle glaucoma. BMC Ophthalmol. 2017;17:213. 2. Adachi S, et al. Factors associated with developing a fear of falling in subjects with primary open-angle glaucoma. BMC Ophthal- mol. 2018;18:39. 3. Yonge AV, et al. Quantifying fall-related haz- ards in the homes of persons with glaucoma. Ophthalmology. 2017;124:562–571. 4. Sotimehin AE, et al. Locations, cir- cumstances, and outcomes of falls in patients with glaucoma. Am J Ophthalmol. 2018;192:131–141. Editors' note: The sources have no financial interests related to their comments. The gold standard, now with axial length measurement – versatile, profitable, indispensable! Once again, the Pentacam® defines the "measure of all things." The AXL version, featuring integrated optical biometry, makes it a comprehensive, indispensable instrument for cataract surgery. As a full-scale system, the Pentacam® AXL also provides for safe and swift IOL calculation – even in difficult cases. Visit www.pentacam.com for more information. Now Available! The OCULUS Pentacam ® AXL Always an Axial Length Ahead Follow us! Toll free 888- 519 - 5375 sales@oculususa.com www.oculususa.com