Research
Old-Age Vision Problems Linked to Dementia
Untreated vision problems in older age are associated with an increased risk of decline in cognitive function and Alzheimer’s disease, data from a cohort study showed.
Uncorrected poor vision was associated with a five- to 10-fold greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease and a five-fold greater risk of cognitive decline without dementia, compared with older people who had very good or excellent vision.
Three-fourths of 90-year-olds with normal cognition had a history of at least one eye procedure compared with half of those with Alzheimer’s disease, according to an article published online in the American Journal of Epidemiology.