The Connection Between Alzheimer’s And Eyesight

Alzheimer’s Care

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common causes of dementia and affects many individuals globally. A yearly eye exam can help detect early indications of Alzheimer’s disease, and early involvement can be helpful for family members and caregivers.

Although research into Alzheimer’s disease and eye disease is ongoing, a remedy is still not available. Researchers believe that in the future, a quick eye exam might be used to screen individuals for Alzheimer’s eyes. Memory care experts in our Alzheimer’s care facility share some of the important things about the connection between Alzheimer’s and eyesight.

How Does Alzheimer’s Affect Eyesight?

In the opinion of memory care experts, your senses of sight and smell may be the key to early Alzheimer’s detection, even before symptoms appear. When it comes to the eyes, the retinal nerve that exits the brain becomes more restricted, which is a sign that Alzheimer’s disease is developing. The accumulation of beta-amyloid protein clumps in the brain is one of the earliest observable symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Brain imaging, a costly method, can be used to find these aggregates.

Researchers who assessed retinal thickness found that patients with memory loss had thinner retinas than those who did not have memory problems. Initial symptoms of this ailment may also include blurry vision, which can make what you see fuzzy or out of focus and interfere with your daily activities.

Common Visual Deficits

People with Alzheimer’s disease frequently have 4 visual deficits in their brains, which leads to inaccurate perceptions. Let’s look at them:

Reduced Motion Detection Capability

Some patients are unable to recognize motion. And instead of being able to perceive the world as a continuous video, they perceive it as a collection of still images. Even in the presence of close relatives and friends, this causes sufferers to feel lost. Fast-paced activities and a comfortable television viewing experience become difficult for patients.

Decreased Peripheral Vision

Patients who are in the latter stages of Alzheimer’s disease struggle with a 12-inch field of vision in which they are unable to see anything at the top, bottom, or sides.

Reduced Perception Of Depth

Patients should also prepare for a loss of depth perception, which makes it difficult for them to distinguish between a three-dimensional item and a flat image and to recognize elevation changes.

Color Recognition Becomes Challenging

Patients with Alzheimer’s disease should be surrounded by brightly colored things. An individual has to be surrounded by items and surfaces of completely diverse colors in order to carry out daily tasks without difficulty. For instance, caretakers could lay a white plate on a dark blue tablecloth or a cup with a vibrant hue that contrasts with the liquid inside it.