Great report. There is increasing evidence that amyloid beta protein (Aβ) and tau-related lesions in the retina are associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Deposits of hyperphosphorylated Aβ and (p)-tau have been described in the retina and were associated with small amyloid spots visualized by in vivo imaging techniques, as well as with retinal degeneration.
Kendra Farrow, research and training associate at Mississippi State University's National Research and Training Center (NRTC), discussed visual deficits in an AFA webinar, "Understanding Vision Impairments and How to Help."
“Many people with Alzheimer's disease may have a critical visual impairment in which there may be nothing physically wrong with their eyes, but the brain does not fully process visual information. The brain can't interpret what it sees,” said Farrow, who is also legally blind. Here are visual impairments that caregivers should be aware of:
1.- PERIPHERAL FIELD LOSS: “It's like looking through a tube.” This deficit can also contribute to the inability to detect movement.
2.- LOSS OF CONTRAST SENSITIVITY: People may experience difficulty seeing objects of the same color (for example, a completely white bathroom or a black print on a red background).
3.- DIFFICULTY WITH DEPTH PERCEPTION: People will find it more difficult to judge how far away an object is, understand changes in elevations, and differentiate between three-dimensional and flat objects, so the person may feel and look unbalanced.
Many people with dementia will also live with hearing loss. It is common for people to develop gradual hearing loss as they age. People with hearing loss are also more likely to develop dementia, although we currently do not know why. Living with both conditions can present challenges, but there are many things that can help people live well with both hearing loss and dementia.
Great report. There is increasing evidence that amyloid beta protein (Aβ) and tau-related lesions in the retina are associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Deposits of hyperphosphorylated Aβ and (p)-tau have been described in the retina and were associated with small amyloid spots visualized by in vivo imaging techniques, as well as with retinal degeneration.
Kendra Farrow, research and training associate at Mississippi State University's National Research and Training Center (NRTC), discussed visual deficits in an AFA webinar, "Understanding Vision Impairments and How to Help."
“Many people with Alzheimer's disease may have a critical visual impairment in which there may be nothing physically wrong with their eyes, but the brain does not fully process visual information. The brain can't interpret what it sees,” said Farrow, who is also legally blind. Here are visual impairments that caregivers should be aware of:
1.- PERIPHERAL FIELD LOSS: “It's like looking through a tube.” This deficit can also contribute to the inability to detect movement.
2.- LOSS OF CONTRAST SENSITIVITY: People may experience difficulty seeing objects of the same color (for example, a completely white bathroom or a black print on a red background).
3.- DIFFICULTY WITH DEPTH PERCEPTION: People will find it more difficult to judge how far away an object is, understand changes in elevations, and differentiate between three-dimensional and flat objects, so the person may feel and look unbalanced.
Many people with dementia will also live with hearing loss. It is common for people to develop gradual hearing loss as they age. People with hearing loss are also more likely to develop dementia, although we currently do not know why. Living with both conditions can present challenges, but there are many things that can help people live well with both hearing loss and dementia.
https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.13529 (2023).-----
https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/vision-impairment-associated-many-100000-u-s-dementia-cases (2022).---
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/news/common-conditions-increase-chance-of-alzheimers,....
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/alzheimers-disease-dementia-eye .----
https://alzfdn.org/dont-overlook-alzheimers-affect-on-eyesight/,....
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/symptoms-and-diagnosis/sight-hearing-loss,...
https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15525279,...