Review highlights gaps in optometrists’ role in falls prevention for older adult

Community optometrists are aware of the link between vision impairment and falls in older adults, but evidence suggests falls prevention screening, assessment, and treatment are not routinely incorporated into practice, according to study.

Researchers reviewed evidence published between 1980 and 2025 examining community optometrists’ role in falls prevention for community-dwelling older adults. Of 3,853 articles screened, 11 studies and 4 reports met the inclusion criteria.

The review identified 2 main themes. First, there was limited evidence that optometrists routinely conducted falls risk screening or assessment, despite demonstrating knowledge of the relationship between vision problems and falls. Evidence also suggested that key ocular assessments associated with falls risk, including depth perception and contrast sensitivity testing, were not commonly performed, and falls screening was infrequently reported.

Second, evidence supporting falls prevention treatment by optometrists was sparse. Some studies reported the use of tailored spectacle prescriptions, but there was little evidence that optometrists provided falls prevention advice. The review did find evidence that optometrists could contribute effectively to falls prevention when working as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Researchers also found no evidence addressing whether community optometrists refer patients to other health professionals for falls prevention care.

The authors concluded that further research is urgently needed to determine how community optometrists can systematically integrate falls prevention care into primary eye care practice.

Reference

Lee SY, Alam K, Charng J, et al. Optometrists’ practice of falls prevention care for community dwelling older adults: A mixed methods systematic review. BMC Geriatr. 2026;doi: 10.1186/s12877-026-07760-9. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42251280.