College warning over failing vision and falls

Most people are unaware of the link between poor vision and falls in older people according to research for the College of Optometrists released in the run-up to Falls Awareness Week (June 17-21).

Carried out by Opinion Matters, the research found that almost half had an older friend, parent or relative who had fallen, yet less than a third (32 per cent) knew that poor vision was a major cause of falls.

It also showed that almost half of those surveyed (46 per cent) did not know that their parents may be entitled to an NHS sight test in their own home or care home and 25 per cent did not realise sight tests for over 60s were free.