Ask the Doctor: Socializing Online; Driving & Glaucoma; Randomized, Controlled Studies
Q: My lack of mobility is making it difficult for me to get out of the house, and not having anyone to interact with leaves me lonely. What are your thoughts on using online forums for social engagement?
A: It is vital to stay socially engaged as we get older, since loneliness has been linked to an increased risk of developing dementia. If you aren’t able to keep up an active social network due to illness, disability, spousal loss, or because friends and/or family have relocated, online forums aimed at seniors offer many benefits. They are particularly beneficial for hearing-impaired patients who have difficulty socializing via the phone.
Even if you are functionally limited by age-related sight impairment, or your manual dexterity is affected by arthritis, you can still take part—computer keyboards are available with larger, more widely spaced keys and bigger letters. You also can order adaptive devices through Lighthouse International (www.lighthouse.org).
However, keep in mind some safety issues if you “chat” with other people online: Don’t give out any information, such as bank account details, passwords, or your Social Security number, even to friends you’ve made in social forums.
Q: My sister has been diagnosed with glaucoma. Is it safe for her to continue driving?
A: Glaucoma tends to affect peripheral vision first, but even if it doesn’t affect central vision, it can be dangerous while driving: In one study that used driving simulators, people with glaucoma got into accidents at about twice the rate of motorists without vision problems.
Some states require that, beginning at age 65 or 70, seniors renew their driver’s licenses in person and take a vision test. However, because most driver’s license eye tests check only central vision (like reading an eye chart), it’s possible for a person to pass the vision test even if he or she has advanced glaucoma.
Your sister’s eye doctor should be able to tell her whether her glaucoma may impact her driving. She also may want to consider getting a safe driving evaluation from a driver rehabilitation specialist—locate one via the Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists website (www.aded.net).
Q: I’ve seen references to “randomized controlled studies” being the best type of medical research. Why is this?
A: A randomized, controlled trial (RCT) is considered the most reliable type of study for determining that a cause-effect relationship exists between a treatment and an outcome. Randomization, which means that participants are randomly assigned to a treatment group, helps prevent bias on the part of researchers. For example, in a drug study that isn’t randomized, doctors might unconsciously allocate participants who would benefit most from a drug to the treatment group, which could skew the results to make a drug seem more effective than it is.
—Editor-in-Chief Orli R. Etigin
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