Losing vision earlier linked to difficulties judging distance

A new study published in Optometry and Vision Science has explored the relationship between when an individual experienced vision loss and how accurate they are at judging distances.

Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University and University of East Anglia recruited 52 participants aged under 33 to take part in a series of trials that aimed to estimate the distance of a sound. The range of sounds included speech, jazz music and broadband white noise.

The participants included those with early-onset vision loss, late-onset vision loss and a control group without sight loss.

Compared to the control group, people with early-onset vision loss had a tendency to determine that sounds coming from a close distance – up to five metres – were located further away.

Distance judgements were not found to be significantly different between the sighted control group and the group with late-onset vision loss.

Lead author, Professor Shahina Pardhan, of Anglia Ruskin University, highlighted that the research indicates that people who suffer vision loss at birth or in early childhood are more likely to struggle to accurately judge the distance of close-range sounds.

“Clearly a difficulty in judging short and medium distance sounds could have safety implications, for example when attempting to cross the road,” she said.

“Hopefully this study will add to evidence that will lead to solutions to improve the lives of people with vision loss across the world,” Pardhan highlighted.

The study was co-authored by academics from the University of Cambridge and Sankara Nethralaya Eye Hospital in Chennai, India.