On tour with the fall

Bradford University’s Professor David Elliott has long been known as an expert in the link between vision and falls in the elderly. His keynote lecture at this year’s European Academy of Optometry and Optics focused, specifically, upon the question ‘Can optometrists and dispensing opticians help to prevent falls?’

The lecture began with some key points to consider:

• Falls are common in older people.
• They can have dire consequences.
• They are caused by a multitude of factors.
• Visual impairment is an important risk factor.
• They are predictable and not ‘accidents’.
• They can be prevented.

The audience were then offered a fascinating glimpse of some of the work undertaken in this area at the Bradford Vision and Mobility Lab. The lab employs a range of optometry, medical engineering and health studies staff with access to such equipment as AMTI forceplates, 10-camera assessment systems, balance monitoring and computerised movement analysis systems (figure 1).