A new study conducted by researchers from Stanford University revealed interesting new findings on the link between visual impairment in aging women and the increased risk of dementia. These new findings might seem worrying, but they are not without hope– simply caring for your eyesight as you age, especially for women, can reduce the risk of dementia in older age.
Understanding Dementia
Dementia is a word used to describe a loss of memory, language, problem-solving, and other mental abilities that is severe enough to affect everyday living. Dementia is frequent among the elderly. More than 55 million people around the world suffer from dementia, with about 10 million new cases diagnosed every year. Dementia is the sixth biggest cause of mortality worldwide, as well as one of the primary causes of impairment and reliance among the elderly.
Dementia affects a vast and rising number of senior citizens. Although previous research has suggested a link between vision and cognitive impairment, longitudinal research on vision and dementia is lacking. The goal of this new study was to see if there was a link between visual impairment and the likelihood of cognitive impairment in women.
What This New Study Says About the Link Between Visual Impairment in Older Women and the Risk of Dementia
Using multivariable regression models adjusted for characteristics of participants enrolled in Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) ancillary studies, a secondary analysis compared the probability of incident dementia or possibly mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among females with and without some form of visual impairment. The participants were community-dwelling older women (ages 66 to 84) who were enrolled in both the WHI Sight Examination (from 2000 to 2002) and the WHI Memory Study at the same time (enrolled from 1996 to 1998, though still ongoing). From 2000 to 2020, the research was carried out.
The vision of the participants in this study was assessed at three different thresholds: 20/40, 20/80, and 20/100. The participants also self-reported their visual impairment. Cognitive impairment (perhaps dementia) was determined by cognitive testing, clinical evaluation, and centralized review and adjudication.
The results were startling. A total of 1061 ladies were found, with an average age of 73.8 years. Self-reported vision impairment was present in 206 of these women (19.4%). A total of 183 women (17.2%) exhibited objective visual impairment. In the end, 42 women (4.0%) were diagnosed with probable dementia. MCI was detected in 28 women (2.6%) but did not develop dementia. Women who had objective visual impairment at the start of the study were shown to be more likely to acquire dementia.
Women with a visual acuity of 20/100 or poorer had the highest risk of dementia. The risk of MCI was found to be comparable, with women who had a baseline visual acuity of 20/100 or poorer having the highest risk.
Conclusion
Our takeaway from this study is simple– take care of your eyesight. Doing so could significantly reduce your risk of dementia.