Decreasing vision accelerates cognitive impairment in old age – signs

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There is ” strong link” between older people who have vision problems and those who eventually develop cognitive impairment or dementia.

The results of the latest study add to the growing body of evidence that impaired vision is a risk factor for dementia. Diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases can be helpful. Both improving a person's quality of life and potentially slowing or stopping memory loss. People with visual impairments have an average 60% higher risk of developing dementia. The odds of cognitive impairment were 137% higher among people with visual impairment compared to those without.

Factors that affect the risk of dementia

However, there are identified risk factors for developing dementia in later life. Importantly, checking for risk factors for a brain condition does not mean you are guaranteed to develop dementia.

Certain health conditions can increase your risk of dementia, such as hearing loss and depression. Cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes, increases the risk of developing dementia. Moreover, these factors are most strongly associated with vascular dementia, a specific type of brain disease.

What is vascular dementia?

Vascular dementia is caused by a decline in blood flow in the brain.

The neurologist also listed the key symptoms of the condition:

• Slowness of thought
• Difficulty with planning and understanding
• Trouble concentrating
• Changes in your mood, personality, or behavior
• Feeling disoriented and confused
• Difficulty walking and keeping your balance