Newswise — TORONTO, ON –A recent study published in the journal Ophthalmic Epidemiology reveals that elderly adults aged 65 and above residing in warmer regions of the United States are more susceptible to severe vision impairment compared to their counterparts in cooler regions. The study findings indicate a concerning correlation between average county temperature and vision impairment, warranting further investigation to establish causality.
The research discovered that when contrasted with individuals residing in counties with an average temperature below 50°F (< 10 °C), those inhabiting counties with an average temperature ranging from 50-54.99°F experienced a 14% higher likelihood of severe vision impairment. Similarly, individuals living in counties with average temperatures between 55-59.99°F faced a 24% higher risk, whereas those in counties with an average temperature of 60°F (15.5 °C) or above encountered a significantly elevated risk of 44%.
Professor Esme Fuller-Thomson, the study's lead author and Director of the Institute of Life Course and Aging at the University of Toronto, expressed deep concern over the link between vision impairment and average county temperature, particularly if future research confirms a causal relationship. With the anticipated rise in global temperatures due to climate change, monitoring the potential increase in vision impairment among older adults becomes imperative.
Co-author ZhiDi Deng, a recent pharmacy graduate from the University of Toronto, emphasized the significance of addressing vision problems as they contribute significantly to disabilities, functional limitations, and diminished quality of life among older adults. Severe vision impairment heightens the risk of falls, fractures, and incurs substantial costs for the US economy each year. Consequently, the observed association between temperature and vision impairment highlights the urgency of tackling this issue.
Impact of age, sex, income, and education
The study's findings reveal a robust association between average temperature and severe vision impairment, which remained consistent across various demographic factors such as age, sex, income, and education of the participants.
Co-author Elysia Fuller-Thomson, a graduate student at the University of Toronto, expressed the significance of observing a consistent link between vision impairment and temperature, even after considering diverse demographic variables, including income. This underscores the strength of the relationship and its potential impact on individuals from different backgrounds.
Moreover, the study highlighted variations in the association between higher county temperature and serious vision impairment among different subgroups. Specifically, the relationship was more pronounced among individuals aged 65 to 79 compared to those aged 80 or older. Additionally, males exhibited a stronger association compared to females, while White Americans showed a more substantial correlation than Black Americans. These distinctions shed light on the nuanced impact of temperature on vision impairment within specific demographic categories.
Causes remain a mystery
While the study's findings indicate a significant correlation between average temperature and severe vision impairment, the underlying mechanism driving this relationship remains uncertain.
The authors of the study have put forth several hypotheses to explain the observed association. These include increased exposure to ultraviolet light, air pollution, infections, and the degradation of folic acid with rising temperatures. However, the study's design does not provide conclusive insights into the precise ways in which temperature impacts vision.
The study utilized data from six consecutive waves of the American Community Survey conducted between 2012 and 2017. This nationally representative survey gathered information from older adults aged 65 and above annually. The sample analyzed comprised 1.7 million individuals residing in the contiguous United States, including both community-dwelling and institutionalized older adults who lived in their state of birth. The survey question related to vision impairment specifically asked whether the person was blind or experienced significant difficulty seeing even with the use of glasses. Average temperature data was obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and combined with the American Community Survey data.
Lead author Esme Fuller-Thomson expressed surprise at the robust association discovered between temperature and vision impairment. However, this novel finding raises more questions than it answers, particularly regarding the nature of the link between average county temperature and vision impairment. In future research, the authors plan to investigate whether county temperature also correlates with other disabilities among older adults, such as hearing problems and limitations in daily activities.
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