TITLE:
Overview of Quality of Life Research in Older People with Visual Impairment
AUTHORS:
Chong-Wen Wang, Cecilia L. W. Chan, Iris Chi
KEYWORDS:
Older Adults, Quality of Life, Review, Vision Loss, Visual Impairment
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Aging Research,
Vol.3 No.2,
April
29,
2014
ABSTRACT:
During the past two decades, a number of studies have investigated the
health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of older people with visual impairment,
but the information is fragmented concerning health care providers in the field
of gerontology. In this review, findings of HRQOL studies in older adults with
different types of age-related ocular disorders or conditions are summarized.
Apart from medical treatment and vision rehabilitation, factors that may
influence the HRQOL of visually impaired older adults are also examined,
including age, gender, socioeconomic status, mobility, comorbidity, family
support, social support, use of eye care services, and psychological and
spiritual factors. Finally, existing problems are discussed and recommendations
for future research are provided. Given the high prevalence of visual
impairment among older adults and their unmet needs for eye care and vision
rehabilitation, multidisciplinary interventions that may enhance visually
impaired older people’s HRQOL are warranted.