Vision Changes with Alzheimer’s | Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia lead to a cognitive decline and a decrease in memory. The rate at which someone progresses varies, but Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia affect a person physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Any form of dementia can also lead to visual problems. Visual issues can create safety issues, as well as frustration. Learning more about dementia and vision side effects is helpful in managing the condition.
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What is Alzheimer’s disease? 

Alzheimer’s disease involves a progressive condition that impairs cognitive functioning, including memory, reasoning, and thinking. It is one form of dementia.

According to the National Institute on Aging, in the United States, roughly 5.5 million people have Alzheimer’s. Most of those affected are over the age of 65. 
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Other forms of dementia

Alzheimer’s is only one form of dementia. There are also other types, including the following: 
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• Vascular dementia: This form of dementia develops due to damage to the vessels supplying blood to the brain. 
• Frontal lobe: Frontal lobe dementia occurs due to the breakdown of the nerves in the temporal and frontal lobes of the brain. 
• Lewy body dementia: Lewy body dementia involves the development of clumps of protein in the brain. 

The exact symptoms of dementia may vary based on the form of dementia and the progression of the disease. For instance, at first, symptoms may include problems focusing or learning new things, but as dementia progresses, it can cause problems walking, talking, and doing everyday tasks. Dementia affects personality, judgment, and behavior. 
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Changes in vision with dementia 

Vision is complicated. Our brains have to process the images we receive from the eyes. Any type of illness or injury that affects the brain can also affect vision.

Although it may vary, people with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, may experience different problems as their condition progresses. Possible vision issues include:

Loss of color awareness: People with dementia appear to lose the ability to tell the difference between different colors. The exact reason is not entirely clear, but a study in the journal Age and Aging indicated that changes in color vision in people with dementia appear to be related to visual cortex issues and not retina changes.

A reduction in depth perception: It is common for people with dementia to have a loss of depth perception. For example, someone may not be able to distinguish whether something is two or three dimensional. This may create problems, such as not identifying steps or a curb. They might not be able to tell the difference between a picture of an object and the object itself. This can also make it difficult to judge distance.

Problems with recognizing objects: Someone with dementia may be able to see an object, but their brain cannot recognize what it is. The issue is not with the eyes. Instead, it occurs due to the inability of the brain to interpret the image. 
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Maintaining good vision with dementia  

Currently, there is no cure for dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. There are certain medications that may slow the progression. Slowing the progression of the disease may also keep vision issues at bay.

It is also vital for people with any form of dementia to have regular eye exams to identify any other vision issues that tend to occur in older adults, such as cataracts or glaucoma.

Additional tips to help with vision and dementia include:
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• Keep the home well lit, which may help with visual confusion.
• Use adaptive tools as needed, such as telephones with large buttons.
• Close window blinds to reduce glare from the sun as needed.
• Create a color contrast when possible. Creating contrast can help someone with dementia identify key features in a room. For example, paint handrails and light switches a different color from the wall.

Dealing with dementia and vision problems can be challenging. If you have any questions, we are happy to help. Or, if you would like to ask if an appointment with one of our eye doctors would be appropriate at this time, call our office at 508-746-8600.