Taking care of your eyes and ears can help prevent falls.

Good vision can reduce the risk of falling. As we grow older, changes in our eyes often affect our vision. Even small changes to our vision can increase our risk of falling.

  • Vision can become blurry, and depth and distance may become more difficult to judge.
  • Our eyes become more sensitive to glare, slower to adjust to light, or less able to make a distinction between similar colors.
  • We can also develop eye disorders such as cataracts, glaucoma or macular degeneration which can gradually change our vision.
  • Multifocal glasses may pose an added risk for falls, by impairing depth perception or distance contrast sensitivity.

 

Look after your vision and reduce your risk of falls:

  • Have your eyes checked regularly – Have your eyes checked by your eye care specialist at least every two years or if you notice any changes in your vision. Focus on Falls Prevention Vision Screening Program is a program designed to identify fall risks related to visual impairment;
  • Wear your eyewear – Wear your glasses as recommended by your eye care specialist and have them checked annually. If you require new eye wear, allow two weeks to get used to them, and then return to your optometrist if you are having problems;
  • Take your time – Take care when you are walking up and down steps and stepping off curbs, especially if you wear bifocal or progressive lens glasses. Allow time for your eyes to adjust when you go into a darker or brighter area, and use sunglasses to protect your eyes;
  • Eat well – A well balanced diet high in eggs, fish and dark green, orange and yellow vegetables. These foods have carotenoids, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids which are good for your vision; and
  • Self-check your vision – Check your vision regularly by testing if you can clearly see objects in the distance and easily read up close.

The Seniors’ Eyeglass Program provides financial assistance toward the purchase of eyeglasses for eligible Manitobans 65 and older. One pair of eyeglasses may be claimed every three years, more often if a doctor diagnoses a change in vision.

Look after your hearing and reduce your risk of falls.

Finding hearing problems early helps make treatment easier. In order to ensure that hearing loss is noticed as early as possible, all people should check their hearing from time to time, especially those who are at a higher risk of hearing loss. They include:

  • people who often listen to loud music,
  • work in noisy places,
  • use medicines that are harmful to hearing,
  • or who are above 60 years old (World Health Organization, 2025).

All adults, from the age of 50 years should be screened regularly for hearing loss:

  • Screening may be conducted at 5-yearly intervals until the age of 64 years.
  • From 65 years of age, the frequency of screening should be increased to every 1–3 years.
  • Wherever possible, hearing screening schedules should align with other health checks.
  • Use hearing aids if needed. Manitobans aged 65+ may get up to $2,000 to help pay for hearing aids. Hearing Aid Program.

The relationship between the risk of falling and hearing loss.

If your hearing begins to decline, your risk of falling may rise.

  • It is possible that a fall risk is linked to a decline of the vestibular system of the inner ear, which is very important for balance. Dizziness and a spinning sensation (vertigo) are symptoms of a vestibular balance disorder.
  • When vestibular function is not working well, falls can be more likely.
  • Balance disorders can occur at any age. But they are most common as you get older.

Restoring hearing through the use of hearing aids may be protective, especially when people wear them consistently.

  • People who wear hearing aids have about a 50% reduced odds of experiencing a fall, compared to non-users.
  • Fall risk improves for those who wear hearing aids at least four hours per day.

Read more: What Does Hearing Loss Have to do With Falls?

For more information on vision and hearing contact:

 

 

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