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Tips for Living with Eye Issues Related to Alzheimer’s Disease
According to the National Institute on Ageing, in the United States, over six million people are living with Alzheimer’s disease.
The reason Alzheimer’s disease occurs is not completely known. Researchers believe it could be a combination of genetic factors and changes to the brain that occur over time.
The symptoms of Alzheimer’s include:
Problems with memory
Mood changes
Trouble concentrating
Impaired reasoning
Alzheimer’s disease often touches all areas of a person’s life. It can even affect their vision. October is World Alzheimer’s Month and is a good time to take a look at ways to cope with eye issues related to Alzheimer’s disease.
What happens with vision?
A few different eye issues may develop in people with Alzheimer’s. For example, the field of vision may narrow. In addition, the changes to the brain may cause difficulties interpreting the images a person sees. The part of the brain that handles visual cues may not interpret the information as it should. So, although the eyes may be healthy, vision may still be impaired.
Alzheimer’s disease usually happens later in life in the 6th or 7th decade. During this time, older adults are at an increased risk of developing eye diseases, such as cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration. These eye conditions can also affect vision.
For some people, their vision problems are a combination of eye disease and issues associated with Alzheimer’s disease.