Funding Agency: Retirement
Research Foundation, EyeSight
Foundation of Alabama, Pearle
Vision Foundation, UAB
Roybal Center for Research in Applied Gerontology
Project Identifier: RRF #2000-072
Principal Investigator: Cynthia Owsley
Disability related to visual impairment is listed among
the leading chronic health conditions limiting activities
in older adults. One population that has a high prevalence
of visual impairment and blindness are older adults residing
in nursing homes. Recent findings suggest that much of the
vision loss detected could be prevented or treated with
updated or new spectacles, or cataract surgery. The primary
purpose of this study is to evaluate whether interventions
to improve vision in nursing home residents also impact
health-related quality of life. As part of this study, nursing
home residents’ vision is improved with either spectacles,
or cataract surgery. A vision-specific health-related quality
of life instrument, specifically designed for nursing home
residents, was developed during prior research to assist
in evaluating the intervention outcomes.
