Visual Impairment as a Risk Factor for Falls in Older Adults: Perspectives from Patients in Southern Nigeria

Objective: This study aims to determine whether visual impairment (VI) is a significant risk factor for falls among older adults in Nigeria. Methods: A hospital-based, multi-center cross-sectional study was conducted among community-dwelling adults aged 60 and above, utilizing a semi-structured questionnaire. Results: A total of 578 participants took part in the study. Their average age was 68.46 ± 6.89 years with a range of 60–95 years and a male-to-female ratio of 2:3. One hundred and fifty-six (27%) participants reported experiencing at least one fall within the past 12 months, with 64.7% of them being female. More than 70% of participants recognized VI and fear as risk factors for a fall, with additional contributors being joint pain (79.6%), use of multiple medications (69.7%), unsteady gait (59.2%), and lower back pain (42.6%). Conclusion: VI was the second most commonly reported major risk factor causing falls after joint pains in this study.