UNTREATED POOR VISION IN ELDERLY CONTRIBUTES TO DEMENTIA

American Journal of Epidemiology, doi:10.1093/aje/kwp453

Poor vision was associated with development of dementia; individuals with very good or excellent vision at baseline had a 63% reduced risk of dementia. Participants with poorer vision had a 9.5-fold increased risk of Alzheimer disease and a 5-fold increased risk of mental impairment but no dementia. Untreated poor vision is associated with cognitive decline, particularly Alzheimer disease.