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Industry Articles Home > Improving Quality of life for Seniors News

Vision disorders may be tied to dementia risk
2010-03-24

Seniors screened for sight problems are less likely to suffer from Alzheimer's disease later in life, a recent University of Michigan Health Systems study found.

Last month, the university reported that older people who visited an ophthalmologist at least once were 64 percent less likely to develop dementia. While vision problems and Alzheimer's were not correlated by the study, researchers posited that activities that lower the risk of incurring the disease - reading, playing board games and exercising - are harder to do when a person cannot see as well.

"Visual problems can have serious consequences and are very common among the elderly," study author Mary A.M. Rogers said.

Any measures that can be taken to lower an older person's risk of incurring Alzheimer's are valuable.

A separate study - conducted by Rush University Medical Center in Chicago - found that Alzheimer's patients suffer cognitive declines four times faster than people without cognitive impairment.

And, as the University of Michigan study notes, the number of people with Alzheimer's has doubled since 1980 and is expected to reach 13 million by 2050. Older people shouldn't hesitate to take simple vision tests if it means their Alzheimer's risk will be lowered.
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