Scientists from Nutrition Research Centre Ireland (NRCI) have been awarded funding to investigate the prevalence of ocular pathologies and visual impairment in elderly residents of nursing homes in Ireland. 

It is hoped this research will aid the development of preventative and management strategies to improve the care and quality of life of those affected.

According to the World Health Organization, cataract and refractive errors are the main causes of avoidable blindness. The vast majority of those affected are over 50 years of age.

As a result of improved living standards and technological advancements, people today are living longer and nursing homes in Ireland play a crucial role in providing care to this ageing population. However, reports suggest residents in nursing homes experience difficulties accessing specific medical services, particularly eye care services.

NRCI is based in South East Technological University (SETU) and it has been awarded funding under the SETU Industry Co-fund PhD scholarship, in collaboration with enterprise partner, NCBI (National Council for the Blind Ireland), to study ocular conditions among elderly residents in Irish nursing homes.

This research also aims to study the relationship with other aspects of human health in this vulnerable population that could help with preventative measures and interventions to support visual function in the future.

It has already been shown that targeted nutrition for the eye is an important factor related to visual performance and cognitive function. As part of this study, researchers will employ state-of-the-art assessments to measure carotenoid concentrations in the skin, which correlates directly with lifestyle, health and diet. 

“We have known for a long time the impact of nutrition, age, lifestyle and environmental factors on vision and vision-related quality of life for patients. I believe that there are many vision enhancing interventions available that will support our ageing population.

“This research will allow us to identify how we can best implement such changes and I truly believe that this work will result in major societal benefits for this vulnerable population,” commented principal investigator and NRCI founder and  director, Prof John Nolan.

According to June Tinsley, head of advocacy and communications with the NCBI,  gathering this evidence “will help inform public policy in this area and lead to better outcomes for these residents”.

“We are thrilled to partner with NRCI on this project because through our work we know the vision of residents in nursing homes is deteriorating but we don’t know the full scale of it. Factors including lack of community eye care services, prioritising their other medical needs or insufficient staff training on eye health all play a role, but it can result in treatments being delayed and vision deteriorating irreversibly,” she said.