Vision loss linked to cognitive decline

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends regular eye exams in older adults

Hearing impairment is already linked to a heightened risk of cognitive decline in old age, and a new study suggests that impaired vision may carry the same risk.
 
Based on data from two large studies of older Americans, researchers found those who had problems with distance vision were also two to three times as likely as those with strong vision to be cognitively impaired.
 
Regular vision screening of older Americans could help to catch people at greater risk of cognitive problems and dementia, the study team writes in JAMA Ophthalmology.
 
“The potential interactions between neurosensory (vision and