Visual Impairment Linked to Increased Dementia Risk in Aging Women

Research from Stanford University's Byers Eye Institute in JAMA Ophthalmology suggests that visual impairment could help predict risk of incident dementia in older women, reports HCPLive . Secondary analysis also found an apparent correlation between visual impairment and a higher risk of dementia. The researchers considered 1,061 women for the primary purpose of determining incident probable dementia, and noted additional assessment for incident mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with or without progress to dementia, and a composite of cases of probable dementia or first MCI. A total of 206 subjects, mean age 73.8 years at baseline, had self-reported visual impairment and 183 had objective visual impairment of 20/40 or worse. Over an average follow-up of 3.8 years, 42 women were classified with probable dementia and 28 with MCI that did not progress to dementia. Analysis found that dementia risk was greater among women with visual impairment than those without, which rose with worsening vision. Results also indicated that some ocular diseases were associated with elevated dementia, but they did not achieve statistical significance and none were linked to dementia following adjustment for confounders.