Prevalence, associated risk factors; and patient and economic impact of multiple sensory impairment in a multi-ethnic elderly population in Singapore: the PIONEER study.

BACKGROUND: To determine the prevalence, risk factors; and impact on patient health and economic outcomes across the laterality spectrum of multiple sensory impairment (MSI) in a multi-ethnic older Asian population. METHODS: In this population-based study of Singaporeans aged ≥ 60 years, MSI was defined as concomitant vision (visual acuity > 0.3 logMAR), hearing (pure-tone air conduction average > 25 dB), and olfactory (score < 12 on the Sniffin' Sticks test) impairments across the spectrum of laterality (any, unilateral, combination [of unilateral and bilateral], and bilateral). RESULTS: Among 2,057 participants (mean ± SD 72.2 ± 0.2 years; 53.1% female), the national census-adjusted prevalence rates of any, unilateral, combination, and bilateral MSI were 20.6%, 1.2%, 12.2%, and 7.2%, respectively. Older age, male gender, low socioeconomic status (SES), and smoking (all p < 0.05) were independently associated with higher likelihood of any MSI. Compared to those with no sensory loss, those with MSI had significantly decreased mobility (range 5.4%-9.2%), had poor functioning (OR range 3.25-3.45) and increased healthcare costs (range 4-6 folds) across the laterality spectrum. Additionally, bilateral MSI had a significant decrease in HRQoL (5.5%, p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: MSI is a highly prevalent medical condition, with 1 in 5; and almost 1 in 10 community-dwelling older Asians having any and bilateral MSI, respectively, with a higher likelihood in men, smokers, and those with low SES. Critically, MSI has a substantial negative impact on patient health and economic outcomes across the laterality spectrum. Sensory testing is critical to detect and refer individuals with MSI for management to improve their functional independence and QoL.

Impact of automated dispensing solutions in long-term care facilities and closed-door pharmacies: A mixed methods study of medication management.

BACKGROUND: Financial, operational, and clinical workflow impacts of deploying an automated dispensing cabinet (ADC) in long-term care (LTC) facilities based on actual observations have not been documented in peer-reviewed literature. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of a closed-door pharmacy (CDP) implementing an ADC with unique secure, removable, and transportable locked pockets in an unstudied setting (LTC facilities) for management of first and emergency dose medications. PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: This study was conducted in 1 CDP and 2 LTC facilities. PRACTICE INNOVATION: Enhancing emergency medication management and inventory tracking in an unstudied setting through implementation of an ADC system featuring unique electronically encoded medication storage pockets that can be prepared in the CDP, locked and securely transported to the LTC, and when inserted into ADC it informs staff of its presence, position, and contents. EVALUATION METHODS: Mixed methods, pre- and poststudy to assess the impact of replacing manual emergency medication kits with an ADC. Outcomes were evaluated using rapid ethnography with workflow modeling; inventory and delivery reports; a nursing perception survey; and transactional data from the ADC during postimplementation phase. RESULTS: Pharmacy technician preparation time and pharmacist checking time decreased by 59% and 80%, respectively, and standing inventory was reduced by more than $10,000 combined for the CDP and 2 LTCs by replacing emergency medication kits with the ADC. In the LTCs, this change led to a 71% reduction in emergency medication retrieval time, an increase in emergency medication utilization, and a 96% reduction in the cost of unscheduled deliveries. Over 70% of the nurses surveyed favored replacement of the emergency medication kits with the ADC system. CONCLUSION: Replacing manual emergency medication kit with the described ADC system improved workflow efficiency in the CDP and LTC. It also significantly reduced unscheduled (STAT) deliveries and standing inventory and increased the availability of medications commonly used.

Effect of low luminance on face recognition in adults with central and peripheral vision loss.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of low luminance on face recognition, specifically facial identity discrimination (FID) and facial expression recognition (FER), in adults with central vision loss (CVL) and peripheral vision loss (PVL) and to explore the association between clinical vision measures and low luminance FID and FER. METHODS: Participants included 33 adults with CVL, 17 with PVL and 20 controls. FID and FER were assessed under photopic and low luminance conditions. For the FID task, 12 sets of three faces with neutral expressions were presented and participants asked to indicate the odd-face-out. For FER, 12 single faces were presented and participants asked to name the expression (neutral, happy or angry). Photopic and low luminance visual acuity (VA) and contrast sensitivity (CS) were recorded for all participants and for the PVL group, Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA) 24-2 mean deviation (MD). RESULTS: FID accuracy in CVL, and to a lesser extent PVL, was reduced under low compared with photopic luminance (mean reduction 20% and 8% respectively; p < 0.001). FER accuracy was reduced only in CVL (mean reduction 25%; p < 0.001). For both CVL and PVL, low luminance and photopic VA and CS were moderately to strongly correlated with low luminance FID (ρ = 0.61-0.77, p < 0.05). For PVL, better eye HFA 24-2 MD was moderately correlated with low luminance FID (ρ = 0.54, p = 0.02). Results were similar for low luminance FER. Together, photopic VA and CS explained 75% of the variance in low luminance FID, and photopic VA explained 61% of the variance in low luminance FER. Low luminance vision measures explained little additional variance. CONCLUSION: Low luminance significantly reduced face recognition, particularly for adults with CVL. Worse VA and CS were associated with reduced face recognition. Clinically, photopic VA is a good predictor of face recognition under low luminance conditions.

The use of driver screening tools to predict self-reported crashes and incidents in older drivers.

There is a clear need to identify older drivers at increased crash risk, without additional burden on the individual or licensing system. Brief off-road screening tools have been used to identify unsafe drivers and drivers at risk of losing their license. The aim of the current study was to evaluate and compare driver screening tools in predicting prospective self-reported crashes and incidents over 24 months in drivers aged 60 years and older. 525 drivers aged 63-96 years participated in the prospective Driving Aging Safety and Health (DASH) study, completing an on-road driving assessment and seven off-road screening tools (Multi-D battery, Useful Field of View, 14-Item Road Law, Drive Safe, Drive Safe Intersection, Maze Test, Hazard Perception Test (HPT)), along with monthly self-report diaries on crashes and incidents over a 24-month period. Over the 24 months, 22% of older drivers reported at least one crash, while 42% reported at least one significant incident (e.g., near miss). As expected, passing the on-road driving assessment was associated with a 55% [IRR 0.45, 95% CI 0.29-0.71] reduction in self-reported crashes adjusting for exposure (crash rate), but was not associated with reduced rate of a significant incident. For the off-road screening tools, poorer performance on the Multi-D test battery was associated with a 22% [IRR 1.22, 95% CI 1.08-1.37] increase in crash rate over 24 months. Meanwhile, all other off-road screening tools were not predictive of rates of crashes or incidents reported prospectively. The finding that only the Multi-D battery was predictive of increased crash rate, highlights the importance of accounting for age-related changes in vision, sensorimotor skills and cognition, as well as driving exposure, in older drivers when using off-road screening tools to assess future crash risk.

The impact of birth settings on pregnancy outcomes in the United States.

In the United States, 98.3% of patients give birth in hospitals, 1.1% give birth at home, and 0.5% give birth in freestanding birth centers. This review investigated the impact of birth settings on birth outcomes in the United States. Presently, there are insufficient data to evaluate levels of maternal mortality and severe morbidity according to place of birth. Out-of-hospital births are associated with fewer interventions such as episiotomies, epidural anesthesia, operative deliveries, and cesarean deliveries. When compared with hospital births, there are increased rates of avoidable adverse perinatal outcomes in out-of-hospital births in the United States, both for those with and without risk factors. In one recent study, the neonatal mortality rates were significantly elevated for all planned home births: 13.66 per 10,000 live births (242/177,156; odds ratio, 4.19; 95% confidence interval, 3.62-4.84; P<.0001) vs 3.27 per 10,000 live births for in-hospital Certified Nurse-Midwife-attended births (745/2,280,044; odds ratio, 1). These differences increased further when patients were stratified by recognized risk factors such as breech presentation, multiple gestations, nulliparity, advanced maternal age, and postterm pregnancy. Causes of the increased perinatal morbidity and mortality include deliveries of patients with increased risks, absence of standardized criteria to exclude high-risk deliveries, and that most midwives attending out-of-hospital births in the United States do not meet the gold standard for midwifery regulation, the International Confederation of Midwives' Global Standards for Midwifery Education. As part of the informed consent process, pregnant patients interested in out-of-hospital births should be informed of its increased perinatal risks. Hospital births should be supported for all patients, especially those with increased risks.

Prevalence of vision conditions in children in a very remote Australian community.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Understanding the prevalence of vision conditions in a population is critical for determining the most appropriate strategies for detecting and correcting eye conditions in a community. This is particularly important in very remote regions where access to vision testing services is limited. BACKGROUND: Although recent studies have provided detailed analyses of the prevalence of vision conditions in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children in urban and regional areas of Australia, there is a paucity of research examining vision conditions in children in remote regions. Importantly, a significant proportion of the population in remote and very remote regions identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. METHODS: Comprehensive eye examinations were provided to 193 primary school children in a very remote Australian region. Ninety eight percent of children identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. The eye examination included measures of visual acuity, cycloplegic autorefraction, binocular vision and accommodative function, ocular health and colour vision. Previous history of eye examinations and refractive correction were assessed through parental questionnaire. RESULTS: Although the average unaided vision in the population was good (mean: 0.02 ± 0.13 logMAR) and the prevalence of reduced unaided visual acuity (>0.3 logMAR in either eye) was low (4%), vision conditions were detected in 32% of children. The most common conditions were clinically significant refractive errors (18% of children) and binocular vision or accommodative disorders (16%). Of the total population of children tested, 10% had previously had an eye examination, and 2% were reported to have previously been prescribed spectacles. CONCLUSIONS: In this population of children in a very remote Australian region, up to 1 in 3 children had a vision condition, with many of these conditions being uncorrected and undetected. These findings highlight the important need for additional resources to be made available to very remote communities for the detection and correction of vision conditions in childhood.

Concept Mapping to Identify Content for a Performance-Based Measure of Low Luminance Vision-Related Activities of Daily Living.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify low luminance activities of daily living (ADL) relevant to adults with vision impairment using a concept-mapping approach. Methods: "Group concept mapping" was utilized to identify specific ADLs that persons with vision impairment find challenging under low light conditions. In the first "brainstorming" phase, 24 adults with vision impairment from a range of eye conditions (mean age = 73 years, SD = 14 years) and 26 international low vision experts (mean experience = 22, SD = 11 years) generated statements to the focus prompt, "Thinking as broadly as possible, generate a list of statements detailing specific day-to-day activities a person with vision impairment might find challenging under low light conditions, such as in a poorly lit room or outside at dusk." In the second phase, participants sorted activities by similarity and rated the importance of each activity. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis were applied to produce concept maps showing clusters of prioritized activities. Results: One hundred thirteen unique ideas/activities were generated, rated and sorted. Eight clusters were identified (from highest to lowest importance): hazard detection and safety outside; social interactions; navigation; near reading; selfcare and safety at home; distance spotting; searching around the home; and cooking and cleaning. Conclusions: The conceptual framework and low luminance ADLs identified (the most important being hazard detection and safety outside, and social interactions) provide a basis for developing a performance-based measure of low luminance visual function. Translational Relevance: A performance-based measure of low luminance vision-related ADLs is required for comprehensively and objectively assessing efficacy of eye treatments and low vision rehabilitation outcomes in adults with vision impairment.

Visual Predictors of Postural Sway in Older Adults.

Purpose: Accurate perception of body position relative to the environment through visual cues provides sensory input to the control of postural stability. This study explored which vision measures are most important for control of postural sway in older adults with a range of visual characteristics. Methods: Participants included 421 older adults (mean age = 72.6 ± 6.1), 220 with vision impairment associated with a range of eye diseases and 201 with normal vision. Participants completed a series of vision, cognitive, and physical function tests. Postural sway was measured using an electronic forceplate (HUR Labs) on a foam surface with eyes open. Linear regression analysis identified the strongest visual predictors of postural sway, controlling for potential confounding factors, including cognitive and physical function. Results: In univariate regression models, unadjusted and adjusted for age, all of the vision tests were significantly associated with postural sway (P < 0.05), with the strongest predictor being visual motion sensitivity (standardized regression coefficient, ß = 0.340; age-adjusted ß = 0.253). In multiple regression models, motion sensitivity (ß = 0.187), integrated binocular visual fields (ß = -0.109), and age (ß = 0.234) were the only significant visual predictors of sway, adjusted for confounding factors, explaining 23% of the variance in postural sway. Conclusions: Of the vision tests, visual motion perception and binocular visual fields were most strongly associated with postural stability in older adults with and without vision impairment. Translational Relevance: Findings provide insight into the visual contributions to postural stability in older adults and have implications for falls risk assessment.

Low levels of refractive blur increase the risk of colour misperception of red train signals.

PURPOSE: Red signals signify danger in a range of situations, including train operations. Importantly, misperception of a red signal as yellow can have serious safety implications. This study investigated the effects of lens blur on incorrect colour perception of red signals, which has been implicated in previous train crashes. METHODS: Participants included 15 young (26.6 ± 4.6 years) and 15 older (55.8 ± 3.1 years) visually normal adults. Red and yellow wayside train signals were simulated for two brightness levels (dim, bright) using a custom-built projection system. The effect of blur (best-corrected refraction [No Blur], +0.25 DS, +0.50 DS, +0.75 DS, +1.00 DS, +1.25 DS) on the number of incorrect colour perception responses of the signals was recorded. The order of conditions was randomised between participants. RESULTS: For incorrect responses to the red signal, there were significant main effects of blur (p < 0.001) and signal brightness (p < 0.001) and a significant interaction between blur and brightness (p < 0.001). The effects of blur were greater for the dim compared to the bright signals, with significantly higher colour misperceptions for the dim signal for +0.50 DS blur and higher, compared with No Blur. Colour misperceptions of the yellow signals were low compared with that of the red signals, with only +1.25 DS blur resulting in a significantly higher number of incorrect responses than No Blur (p < 0.001). There were no effects of age for the red or yellow colour misperceptions (p > 0.19). CONCLUSIONS: Low levels of blur (+0.50 DS to +1.25 DS) resulted in a significant misperception of the red signals as orange-yellow, particularly for dim signals. The findings have implications for vision testing and refractive correction of train drivers to minimise the possibility of colour misperception of red train signals.

Inability of the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) and high-contrast visual acuity to identify unsafe drivers.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To examine the validity of high-contrast visual acuity and the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) as tools for identifying at-risk older drivers. DESIGN: Prospective multi-site observational cohort study. SETTING: Community sample drawn from cities of Brisbane and Canberra, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: 560 licensed drivers aged 65-96 years recruited between 2013 and 2016, from the community, an optometry clinic and driver referral service. MEASUREMENTS: 50-minute standardized on-road driving test conducted on a standard urban route in a dual-brake vehicle with a driver trained Occupational Therapist assessor masked to participants' cognitive, visual and medical status. RESULTS: Of 560 participants who completed the on-road test, 68 (12%) were classified as unsafe. Binary logistic regression models adjusted for age, gender, site, comorbidity and driving exposure indicated that a 1-point decrease in MMSE score was associated with a 1.35 (95%CI: 1.12-1.63) increase in odds of unsafe driving, and for each line reduction in binocular visual acuity (increase of 0.1 logMAR) was associated with 1.39 (95%CI: 1.07-1.81) increased odds of unsafe driving. However, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis showed low discriminative power for both measures (MMSE: AUC = 0.65 (95%CI: 0.58-0.73), visual acuity: AUC = 0.65 (95%CI: 0.59-0.72)) and typical cut-offs were associated with very low sensitivity for identifying unsafe drivers (MMSE <24/30: 2%; visual acuity worse than 6/12 Snellen (logMAR >0.30): 3%). CONCLUSION: The MMSE and high-contrast visual acuity tests do not reliably identify at-risk older drivers. They have extremely low sensitivity for detecting unsafe drivers, even when used together, and poor prognostic properties relative to validated screening instruments that measure cognitive, vision and sensorimotor functions relevant to driving. Clinicians should select alternate validated driver screening tools where possible.

Low Light Exposure and Physical Activity in Older Adults With and Without Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: To investigate the extent of low light exposure and associated physical activity in older adults with and without age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods: Light exposure (lux) and physical activity (counts per minute, CPM) were measured in 28 older adults (14 bilateral AMD and 14 normally sighted controls) using a wrist-worn actigraphy device (Actiwatch) for 7 days and nights. Exposure to low light levels (≤10 lux) and physical activity during waking hours were determined, as well as number of brief active periods during sleeping hours (e.g., going to the bathroom). Assessments included visual acuity and the Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ). Results: No significant differences were found in low light exposure (39 ± 14% vs. 34 ± 10%) or physical activity (200 ± 82 CPM vs. 226 ± 55 CPM) during waking hours between the AMD and control group. However, the AMD group had more brief active periods during sleeping hours than controls (1.8 ± 1.3 vs. 1.1 ± 0.4; P = 0.007). Reduced physical activity under low light levels was significantly associated with lower LLQ scores (P = 0.012). Conclusions: Exposure to low light levels and associated physical activity were similar in older adults with and without AMD. This has important implications for older adults with AMD, given the impact of low light levels on visual function and mobility, suggesting the need for including lighting advice in rehabilitation programs for this population. Translational Relevance: Older adults with and without AMD spend over a third of waking hours under low light levels, which are an environmental falls hazard. Findings suggest the need for interventions to improve lighting levels for older adults.

Longitudinal Impact of Vision Impairment on Concern About Falling in People With Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

PURPOSE: To explore the longitudinal impact of central vision loss on concern about falling (CF), over a 12-month period, in people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS: Participants included 60 community-dwelling older people (age, 79.7 ± 6.4 years) with central vision impairment due to AMD. Binocular high-contrast visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and visual fields were assessed at baseline and at 12 months. CF was assessed at both time points using the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I). Sensorimotor function (sit to stand, knee extension, postural sway, and walking speed) and neuropsychological function (reaction time, symptoms of anxiety and depression) were also assessed at both time points using validated instruments. Falls data were collected using monthly diaries during the 12 months. RESULTS: CF increased by a small but significant amount over the 12-month follow-up (2.1 units; P = 0.01), with increasing prevalence of high levels of CF (FES-I score ≥ 23), from 48% at baseline to 65% at 12 months. Linear mixed models showed that reduced contrast sensitivity was significantly associated with increased concern about falling (P = 0.004), whereas declines in both visual acuity and contrast sensitivity during the follow-up period were associated with increases in CF over the 12-month follow-up (P = 0.041 and P = 0.054, respectively), independent of age, gender, falls history, or number of comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of CF are common in older people with AMD, and levels increase over time; this increase is associated with declines in both visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. These findings highlight the need for regular assessment of both visual acuity and contrast sensitivity to identify those at greatest risk of developing higher CF. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE: Routine assessment of visual acuity and contrast sensitivity in older people with AMD will assist in identifying those at risk of developing high CF.

Impact of vision disorders and vision impairment on motor vehicle crash risk and on-road driving performance: A systematic review.

Vision is important for safe driving, but there is limited understanding regarding the impact of vision disorders on driving ability and safety. This systematic review evaluated and summarized evidence on the impact of vision disorders and impairment on motor vehicle crash (MVC) risk and on-road driving performance across seven databases, was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020180135), and study quality rated using a standard tool. Forty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria for MVC risk (N = 36), on-road performance (N = 9), and both MVC risk and on-road performance (N = 3). Of these studies, less than half were rated as 'good' quality. Due to the small number of studies and often conflicting findings, it was not possible to draw firm conclusions for most vision disorders. However, evidence from several 'good' and 'fair' quality studies suggested increased MVC risk with binocular visual field impairment. There was mixed evidence regarding the impact of cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and homonymous field loss on MVC risk and no evidence of increased MVC risk with mild VA impairment. This review highlights the need for well-designed future studies to further explore the impact of vision disorders and impairment on driving outcomes to inform evidence-based policy and fitness to drive guidelines.

Eye movement patterns and reading ability in children.

PURPOSE: Eye movements are integral to the reading process. This study characterised the eye movement patterns of children differentiated by their reading ability, while completing a saccadic eye movement test with irregular target spacing (Development Eye Movement (DEM) test) using a novel eye movement classification algorithm. METHODS: Participants included 196 Grade 2 Australian schoolchildren (mean age: 7.9 ± 0.3 years) who completed a computerised version of the DEM test, while their eye movements were recorded (Tobii TX300 eye-tracker). Children also completed a standardised reading comprehension test, which categorised them into below average and average or above reading ability groups. A novel eye movement classification algorithm was developed that considered the vertical and horizontal eye movements of each child. RESULTS: Compared to children with average or above reading ability, the below average reading group displayed poor vertical eye movement control, demonstrated by a significantly greater proportion of interline eye movements (vertical eye movements away from the current line) (p < 0.001). Differences in horizontal eye movements were also observed, with below average readers demonstrating a smaller proportion of expected forward saccades (p < 0.001) (within-line forward saccades with horizontal amplitude between the minimum and maximum horizontal spacing between digits), while this group also displayed longer fixation durations (p = 0.001). The below average reading group demonstrated significantly poorer results on all standard DEM metrics than the average or above reading ability group: horizontal subtest time (p < 0.001), vertical subtest time (p = 0.004) and ratio (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Children exhibiting below average reading ability were poorer at maintaining control of vertical (interline), as well as horizontal, eye movements compared to children with average or above reading ability. Future studies should explore the mechanisms underlying these differences, particularly in vertical eye movements, given that reading paragraphs (involving multiple lines of text) requires accurate eye movements in both the vertical and horizontal direction.

Using retro-reflective cloth to enhance drivers' judgment of pedestrian walking direction at night-time.

PURPOSE: Fatal pedestrian collisions are over-represented at night and poor conspicuity is believed to be a leading causative factor. Retro-reflective clothing enhances pedestrian conspicuity, particularly when placed in a biological motion or "biomotion" configuration. In this study, we explored how various retro-reflective clothing configurations affected the ability to judge the direction of a pedestrian walking across the road, which has important implications for collision avoidance. METHODS: Participants included 21 young drivers (mean age 21.6 ±â€¯2.0 years) with normal vision. A closed-road circuit was used to assess the accuracy of drivers' judgement of the direction of walking of a pedestrian at night-time wearing one of five different clothing configurations: four with retro-reflective materials placed in different locations (Biomotion, Legs + Torso, Torso Only, Legs Only), and a control wearing only black clothing (Street). Participants were seated in a stationary vehicle with low beam headlamps, 135 m from a pedestrian, who walked across the road from both sides, in different directions (towards the car, straight across the road, or away from the car). Outcome measures included drivers' response accuracy and confidence ratings for judging pedestrian walking direction. RESULTS: Accuracy in judging pedestrian walking direction differed significantly across the clothing configurations (p < 0.001). Response accuracy was significantly higher for the Biomotion configuration (80% correct), compared to the other retro-reflective (Legs + Torso 64%; Torso Only 53%; Legs Only 50%) and Street configurations (33%). Similar trends were noted for confidence ratings across the clothing conditions, yet the relationship between confidence ratings and response accuracy within each clothing configurations was poor. CONCLUSIONS: The use of retro-reflective clothing in a biomotion configuration facilitated the highest accuracy and confidence in drivers' judgment of pedestrian walking direction, compared to other configurations. These findings highlight the importance of using biomotion clothing for pedestrians at night, to not only facilitate drivers' earlier recognition of pedestrians, but also increase their accuracy in determining the walking direction of pedestrians as they cross the road. Practical applications: The use of clothing incorporating retro-reflective material in a biomotion configuration for pedestrians crossing roads at night provides enhanced cues for drivers regarding the presence and walking direction of pedestrians.

Impact of Amblyopia on Visual Attention and Visual Search in Children.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare binocular visual attention, visual processing speeds, and visuo-cognitive search ability in children with and without amblyopia and investigate the association of visual acuity and binocular function with these measures. Methods: Participants included 20 children with amblyopia (mean age = 9.0 ± 1.2 years; 15 anisometropic and 5 strabismic) and 20 children with normal vision development (9.5 ± 1.7 years). Vision assessment included visual acuity (monocular and binocular) and binocular function (Worth 4 Dot and Randot Preschool Stereotest). Visual attention and processing speeds were assessed using the three subtests of the Useful Field of View (UFOV; central processing, divided attention, and selective attention). Visuo-cognitive search was measured using static and dynamic presentations of the Trail Making Tests (TMTs), parts A and B, with increasing levels of executive function demand. All children performed these tasks binocularly. Results: Children with amblyopia demonstrated slower visual processing times on the UFOV (P = 0.04), and slower completion times on the TMT search tests (P = 0.014), compared to controls. TMT performance for children with amblyopia was also more negatively impacted with increasing executive function demands on the TMT part B, compared to controls (P = 0.005). Binocular visual acuity was associated with TMT (P = 0.006) and UFOV (P = 0.07) performance, but none of the other visual function measures were related to performance on these tasks. Conclusions: Children with amblyopia exhibit deficits in higher-order visual processing skills, including visual attention and visual search, particularly with increasing executive function demands. These findings have implications for understanding the impact of amblyopia on everyday function in children.

The mental health and wellbeing survey of Australian optometrists.

PURPOSE: To investigate the prevalence of mental health conditions and burnout among practising optometrists in Australia. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of registered practising Australian optometrists was undertaken over a three-week period from mid-November 2019. The survey comprised three well-established mental health scales (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale [K10], Depression Anxiety Stress Scales [DASS-21] and Maslach Burnout Inventory [MBI]) and an open-ended question inviting comments. RESULTS: Five hundred and five respondents completed the K10, representing 8.8% of registered optometrists in Australia; 466 completed all three scales. Prevalence of moderate to severe psychological distress (K10 ≥ 25) was 30.7% (95% CI 26.7%-34.7%), with similar findings for depression and anxiety (DASS-21). Prevalence of high burnout, as indicated by MBI-GS exhaustion was 56.1% (95% CI 51.7%-60.4%), cynicism 57.1% (95% CI 52.7%-61.5%) and professional efficacy 23.1% (95% CI 19.4%-26.8%). Optometrists aged ≤ 30 years were 3.5 times more likely to report moderate to severe psychological distress compared to optometrists aged >30 years (OR = 3.54, P < 0.001, 95% CI 2.38-5.25). The most frequently mentioned work-related issues concerned retail pressures, workload and career dissatisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: The rates of mental health conditions and burnout reported by practising Australian optometrists were high compared with the general population and other health professionals. Younger age and burnout were significant risk factors for psychological distress. Interventions are required to address these issues, particularly for younger optometrists, and could include workplace modifications and building resilience to improve personal mental wellbeing and ensure patient safety.

The effect of low light levels on postural stability in older adults with age-related macular degeneration.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of low light levels on postural stability in older adults with and without age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS: Participants included 28 older adults [14 with AMD (mean age ± S.D., 83.4 ± 6.7 years) and 14 controls with normal vision (74.6 ± 3.3 years)]. Postural stability was assessed with eyes open on both a firm and foam surface under four lighting conditions in a randomised order: photopic (~436 lux, vertically at the eye), sudden reduction to mesopic (~436 to ~1 lux), adapted mesopic (~1 lux) and adapted mesopic with a light emitting diode (LED) door frame lighting system (~1.3 lux), using the root mean square (RMS) of the centre of pressure measures derived from an electronic force plate in the anterior-posterior (AP) and medio-lateral (ML) directions. Visual function was assessed binocularly (visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and visual fields), physical function was assessed using standardised measures (sit-to-stand, grip strength and the timed walk test) and self-reported difficulties under low light levels were recorded using the Low Luminance Questionnaire. Data were analysed using linear mixed models. RESULTS: For all participants, low light levels significantly increased postural sway on the foam surface in the AP (p = 0.01) but not ML (p = 0.80) direction, but had no effect on postural stability on the firm surface. On the foam surface, while AP-RMS sway was significantly greater in the sudden (p < 0.001) and adapted (p = 0.02) mesopic compared to the photopic condition, sway for the adapted mesopic with the LED lighting system was not significantly different to the photopic condition (p = 0.20). On the foam surface, AP-RMS (p = 0.02) and ML-RMS (p < 0.001) sway were significantly greater in the AMD compared to the control group. None of the measures of visual function was significantly associated with AP- or ML-RMS sway. CONCLUSIONS: On the foam surface, low light levels significantly reduced postural stability in older adults with and without AMD, and postural stability was significantly reduced for the AMD group compared to controls, regardless of light level. Importantly, the LED lighting system reduced sway under mesopic conditions, which was not significantly greater than that measured under photopic conditions in either group. These findings have important implications for enhancing the visual environment for older adults with and without AMD to improve postural stability and reduce the risk of falls in low lighting environments.

Refractive blur affects judgement of pedestrian walking direction at night.

PURPOSE: Many individuals drive with uncorrected refractive errors, which has implications for night driving, where poor visibility contributes to the increased crash risk relative to daytime. This study explored how small amounts of refractive blur affects the judgment of the walking direction of night-time pedestrians and whether different types of retro-reflective clothing influence this effect. METHODS: Judgement of the walking direction of night-time pedestrians was investigated for 20 young participants with normal vision (mean age, 21.8 ± 1.6 years) for two levels of binocular blur (+0.50DS, +1.00DS) compared to baseline (best-corrected refractive correction). Participants seated in a stationary car with low beam headlamps observed a pedestrian wearing three clothing conditions: retro-reflective vest (1) and retro-reflective biomotion clothing (incorporating thin (2) or thick (3) retro-reflective strips), who walked across the road in three directions (straight across, away or towards the car). The order of conditions was randomised among participants. Participants reported the perceived pedestrian walking direction and how confident they rated their response. Outcome measures included the proportion of correct responses (response accuracy) and confidence ratings. RESULTS: Blur had a significant effect on accuracy in judging pedestrian walking direction; accuracy decreased significantly with increasing blur (p < 0.001), with all blur levels being significantly different from one another. The effect of pedestrian clothing was also significant (p < 0.001); direction judgements were least accurate for vest, followed by both thin and thick biomotion, where accuracy judgements were similar. There was also a significant interaction between blur and clothing (p < 0.05). Similar trends were found for confidence ratings across the blur and clothing conditions. Greater confidence was significantly associated with increased response accuracy for the biomotion clothing, but not the vest. CONCLUSION: Findings highlight that even small amounts of blur (+0.50DS), that do not reduce visual acuity below the legal driving limits, reduce the ability to accurately judge pedestrian walking direction at night. Retro-reflective clothing in a biomotion configuration facilitated the highest accuracy and confidence in judgment of pedestrian walking direction, for both thin and thick strips compared to vest, for all blur levels.