Feature Article
The Impact of Age-Related Vision Loss

OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health
Vol. 28, No. 3 Summer 2008

ABSTRACT

Age-related vision loss is a condition affecting the quality of life of an ever-increasing number of older adults. The purposes of this study were to describe the impact of age-related vision loss, identify the factors that influence adaptation, and describe the perceived problem areas in the daily lives of older adults. Twenty-two older adults with vision loss participated in four focus groups. Analysis of transcripts revealed that the main themes were the impact of vision loss, factors that aid adaptation, and participation in meaningful activities. Findings from the focus group study revealed the importance of considering participants’ physical loss of vision in the context of their psychological, occupational, and social worlds. This study pointed to the importance of occupation in adaptation to age-related vision loss and yielded many recommendations that could be integrated into models of low vision rehabilitation. Future research is now required to evaluate the implementation of these recommendations and further develop evidence-based practice in this field.

AUTHORS

Sonya Girdler, PhD, was a Research Fellow, Centre for Research on Aging and Centre for Research into Disability and Society, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia. Tanya L. Packer, PhD, is Professor, Centre for Research into Disability and Society, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, and Professor, Association for the Blind of Western Australia (Inc), Victoria Park, Australia. Duncan Boldy, PhD, is Professor, Centre for Research on Aging, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia.

Address correspondence to Sonya Girdler at s.girdler@ecu.edu.au.

This manuscript was accepted under the editorship of Helene J. Polatajko, PhD, OT(C), OT Reg. (Ont.), FCAOT.