Biomedical subjects

Lori A Lott

Publications and source records attributed to Lori A Lott.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Night driving self-restriction: vision function and gender differences.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate gender differences in the relationship between night driving self-restriction and vision function in an older population. METHODS: Night driving self-restriction patterns (assessed by questionnaire) were examined cross-sectionally in relation to age, gender, health and cognitive status, depression, and vision function in a sample of 900 elders (mean age, 76 years) living in Marin County, California. RESULTS: Of the total sample, 91% of men and 77% of women were current drivers. The mean age of the drivers was 73.3 years (range, 58-96 years). Among current drivers, women had slightly better vision function than men on most measures (low-contrast acuity, contrast sensitivity, low-contrast acuity in glare, low-contrast, low-luminance acuity, and glare recovery) but were twice as likely as men to restrict their driving to daytime. Men showed significant associations with avoidance of night driving on four spatial vision measures (high- and low-contrast acuity, low-contrast, low-luminance acuity, and contrast sensitivity). For women, in addition to these measures, a significant association was seen for low-contrast acuity in glare. Neither men nor women showed significant associations between driving restriction and performance on the other vision measures examined (glare recovery time, attentional field integrity, or stereopsis). The vision measures most predictive of self-restriction were contrast sensitivity for men and low-contrast acuity in glare for women. CONCLUSIONS: Including both cessation and self-restriction, men over age 85 years are 6.6 times more likely than women to be driving at night. For both genders, vision plays a significant role in the self-restriction decision. A higher percentage of men than women continue to drive at night with poor vision. Men's night-driving cessation was associated with contrast sensitivity and depression, whereas women's night-driving cessation was associated with low-contrast acuity in glare as well as age.

Accidents, Traffic↗

PubMed2005

Face recognition in the elderly.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess face recognition ability in a large sample of elders (n=572, mean age=78.1 years) and to identify factors that affect performance. METHODS: Face recognition was measured by presenting standardized faces of varying sizes to simulate normal-sized faces at different viewing distances. Subjects were asked to identify the name of the person and their facial expression. Threshold equivalent viewing distance (EVD) was calculated. High- and low-contrast acuity, contrast sensitivity, low-contrast/low-luminance acuity, disability glare, stereoacuity, and visual field measures (with and without an attentional task) were also measured. These vision measures, along with demographic information (age, sex, education) and cognitive status, were included in a multiple regression analysis to determine which factors predicted task performance. RESULTS: This cross-sectional sample of elders showed significant declines in face recognition with age. Mean threshold EVD ranged from 8.0 m for participants<or=70 years of age to 2.2 meters for those over 85 years. Multiple regression analysis revealed that age, sex, years of education, spatial vision, and cognitive status were all significant predictors of face recognition, accounting for approximately 46% of the variability. Spatial vision (high-contrast acuity) and age were the best predictors. Although each spatial vision measure was significantly correlated with face recognition, adding low-contrast or contrast sensitivity measures to the regression analysis explained no more variance than age and high-contrast acuity alone. CONCLUSIONS: The marked decline in face recognition ability in elders is related to declines in spatial vision and cognitive status. All spatial vision measures have similar predictive ability for face recognition.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Low contrast vision function predicts subsequent acuity loss in an aged population: the SKI study.

Can vision tests predict subsequent loss of acuity? The association between performance on several low contrast spatial vision measures, glare recovery, color discrimination, flicker sensitivity, stereopsis and ocular disease status at baseline and acuity loss 4.4 years later was examined in a large aged random sample with good initial acuity. In univariate analyses, several vision measures, retinal disease status and age were each significant predictors of subsequent acuity loss. In a multiple regression analysis, only low contrast spatial vision was a significant predictor, but the other vision measures, retinal disease status and age were not. For each doubling of low contrast spatial vision threshold at baseline, individuals were more than two times as likely to suffer subsequent significant visual acuity loss. Tests of low contrast spatial vision are strong predictors of significant subsequent visual acuity loss. These findings have implications for clinical trials, clinical management, and acceptance of these measures into clinical practice.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Vision and driving self-restriction in older adults.

OBJECTIVES: To assess driving self-restriction (vision related and nonvision related) in relation to vision test performance of older adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Population-based cohort of community-dwelling older adults. PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred twenty-nine current drivers aged 55 and older had driving behavior, health, and physical function assessed and vision function tested in 1993-95. MEASUREMENTS: Self-report of driving restriction as vision or non-vision related and performance on a comprehensive battery of vision tests (visual acuity; contrast sensitivity; effects of illumination level, contrast, and glare on acuity; visual fields with and without attentional load; color vision; temporal sensitivity; and the effect of dim light on walking ability). RESULTS: Demographic, health, and functional characteristics differed significantly between restrictors and nonrestrictors but not between vision- and nonvision-related restrictors. Controlling for potential confounding, only vision-related driving self-restriction was significantly associated with reduced performance on nonstandard measures of acuity. Poor depth perception was significantly associated with restriction for both vision- and nonvision-related reasons. Poor performance on attentional visual field tests, analyzed individually and in combination with standard field tests, was not associated with driving self-restriction. CONCLUSION: Older adults with early changes in spatial vision function and depth perception appear to recognize their limitations and restrict their driving even if they do not acknowledge the visual impairment as the cause for restriction. Poor visual attention, a risk factor for crashes, may not be recognized. Additional studies of driving self-restriction in relation to risk factors for crashes in older adults may help refine this strategy of reducing driving-related injury and death.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

Development of refractive errors into old age.

PURPOSE: To evaluate refractive errors in older adults. METHODS: The distribution of refractive error components was evaluated in a sample of 569 older adults including 171 participants over the age of 80 years. The mean age was 75.2 years with a range from 59 to 106 years. Emphasis was placed on modern methods of analyzing astigmatic refractive errors, which convert cylindrical refractive errors into primary and oblique components. RESULTS: The known increase in hyperopia after maturity continues into old age. The primary negative astigmatic component increases dramatically in prevalence and amount after age 70 years, whereas the oblique component remains unchanged. Significant anisometropia is common in the oldest old, suggesting failure of emmetropization mechanisms with age. Substantial gender differences exist in refractive changes with age. CONCLUSIONS: The continuing changes in all components of refractive error into old age and the surprisingly high prevalence of large amounts of astigmatism and anisometropia emphasize the importance of regular refractive evaluations among the oldest old.

Aged↗