by Lori Solomon

The home environment, particularly lighting, may influence home activity metrics in older adults with visual impairment, according to a study published online Feb. 8 in JAMA Ophthalmology.

Seema Banerjee, Ph.D., from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and colleagues investigated the association between home environment features and home physical activity in patients with visual impairment. The analysis included 153 participants (60 years and older) with glaucoma suspect and primary glaucoma.

The researchers found that for every 0.1-log unit increment in average measured home lighting, participants tended to take more daily steps (rate ratio [RR], 1.05; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.00 to 1.10) and had a faster average daily peak cadence (RR, 1.03; 95 percent CI, 1.01 to 1.05).

Home lighting also showed trends with the average number of non-sedentary activity minutes (RR, 1.04; 95 percent CI, 1.00 to 1.07), average bout duration (β = 0.03), and activity fragmentation (β = −0.06).

There were no associations seen between number of hazards and any activity metric (steps: RR, 1.14; 95 percent CI, 0.96 to 1.34; peak cadence: RR, 1.00; 95 percent CI, 0.93 to 1.08; and non-sedentary time: RR, 1.11; 95 percent CI, 0.98 to 1.26).

"Further prospective studies would be needed to confirm if home modifications can improve at-home activity," the authors write.

More information: Seema Banerjee et al, Visual Impairment and Real-World Home Physical Activity With Home Environment in an Older Population, JAMA Ophthalmology (2024). DOI: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2023.6436

Joshua R. Ehrlich et al, Home Physical Activity and Visual Impairment—There Is No Place Like Home, JAMA Ophthalmology (2024). DOI: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2023.6785

Journal information: JAMA Ophthalmology 

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