Poor vision that can't be corrected appears to be tied to a shorter lifespan, according to a new study.
Previous studies have suggested a link between poor vision and death, but researchers wanted to know what might explain the association.
Dr. Michael J. Karpa of Westmead Millennium Institute in Sydney, Australia, and colleagues studied more than 3,600 people 49 and older in the early 1990s. By 2007, more than a third of them — 1,273 people — had died.
Those with vision problems that couldn't be corrected were 35 percent more likely to have died during those 13 years, and those with such problems who were younger than 75 were more than twice as likely to have died.
The most likely possible tie between poor vision and death is trouble walking, according to the study in the Archives of Ophthalmology.
The researchers speculate that the elderly who don't see well not only might fall more but also may be less likely to visit a doctor regularly or to have prescriptions filled. They may be more isolated socially and less able to seek urgent help when needed.
They also may be less likely to exercise regularly, which could put them at higher risk of death from various illnesses.
Finally, it's possible that some of the reasons for poor vision could result from poor diet, which can lead to heart disease and other killers, the authors said.
SOURCE: Archives of Ophthalmolology, October 2009.
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