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As we age, we're more likely to develop health problems, and to need medications. Taking medications as directed can be complicated, particularly if you have to take several different drugs, at different times of the day. Many older adults take more than one medication daily. And according to a recent study, about half of older people do not take these medications properly. As a result, they may suffer ill effects, which can be serious enough to send them to the hospital. About 5% - 12% of older adults have trouble seeing, even with glasses or other corrective eyewear. Not only does this make it harder to read medication labels and other instructions, it also makes it harder to tell one pill from another. New Research in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society To investigate the relationship between vision, memory and an older adults' ability to take medications properly using a pill box, researchers studied a group of 335 women, aged 73 to 82. The researchers checked the women's eyesight, focusing on three key vision abilities: Visual acuity - the ability to see fine detail; this enables you to read instructions, and letters and symbols on pills, for instance Contrast sensitivity - the ability to distinguish among different shades of grey; among other things, this helps you recognize one pill from another of a similar color Stereopsis - the ability to perceive depth, which can, for example, help you properly place medications in a pill box - a popular aid for organizing medications, so it's easier to take them as directed The researchers then had the women take a test that involved filling a pillbox with two different medications, each to be taken on a different schedule. The researchers read instructions for taking the two drugs aloud while the women read along. They then asked the women to write down the instructions, and, finally, to fill the pill boxes -- referring to their written instructions, if necessary. Time taken to fill the pillbox was recorded with a stopwatch. A grading system was used to grade correct pill placement. Even though fewer than 2% of the women had told the researchers -- prior to taking the "pillbox test" -- that they had trouble taking their medications, 44% failed to fill the pill boxes correctly. Poor visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and stereopsis all seemed to make filling the boxes properly more difficult. This was particularly true for women with memory problems. What Should I Do? Tell your doctor about any problems you're having with your vision, and get regular vision screening tests. Often, visual acuity is the only thing that gets checked in a standard eye exam. So ask your doctor if you should also tested for problems with contrast sensitivity and stereopsis. Your doctor and vision care professional may be able to improve your vision by updating your eyeglass prescription or recommending reading glasses or other vision aids. If necessary, surgery to remove cataracts can improve vision dramatically. For more information on how vision changes with age, and what you can do to see better, visit http://www.healthinaging.org/agingintheknow/chapters_ch_trial.asp?ch=26. The summary above is from the full report titled, "Impaired Vision and the Ability to Take Medications." It is in the July 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (Volume 53, Issue 7, pages 1179-1190). The report is authored by Beverly Gwen Windham, MD, MHS, Michael E. Griswold, PhD, Linda P. Fried, MD, MPH, Gary S. Rubin, PhD, Qian-Li Xue, PhD, and Michelle C. Carlson, PhD. |
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