What happens when we’re too connected to our phones?
Dementia is actually the term used to describe a group of symptoms rather than a specific disease. It involves declining mental function that is severe enough to interfere with everyday life.
Someone who has dementia experiences a decline in two or more of the following: memory, reasoning, language, coordination, mood, and behavior.
Dementia is considered a late-in-life disease because it usually impacts older people.
People who are 65 and older who have Alzheimer's-related dementia can be broken down by race. Approximately 14% are black, 12% Hispanic, 10% are non-Hispanic whites, 9% are American Indian and Alaska natives, and 8% are Asian and Pacific Islanders.
Approximately 5% to 8% of individuals who are 65 and older have some form of dementia. Of those who are 85 and up, around half have dementia.
No, there are many reasons and causes of memory loss. Also, memory loss occurs naturally as we age. Only when it becomes debilitating does it enter the realm of dementia.
It is projected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that by 2060, 14 million people, or 3.3% of the population, in the US will have dementia.
Some tale-tell signs that dementia is worsening include depression, memory problems, personality changes, and even aggression.
A dementia diagnosis can be challenging as other conditions and diseases can cause it. Dementia also shares a lot of symptoms with other illnesses.
Dementia is divided into three categories: primary, secondary, and reversible. It's considered a primary case when dementia is the main illness. Secondary dementia is caused by another disease or condition, and reversible dementia is when dementia-like symptoms occur but aren't actually dementia.
Most types of dementia can be treated but aren't reversible or curable. In other words, the symptoms can be managed but they will never completely go away.
If you experience vision loss or significant vision changes, these can be early warning signs of dementia.
According to the Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention, and Care, there are 14 lifestyle changes that can reduce your risk of dementia.
It's reported that 45% of all dementia cases are potentially preventable by improving these 14 factors. They include untreated vision loss, untreated hearing loss, and social isolation.
The final of the 14 factors include hypertension, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, traumatic brain injuries, air pollution, and not completing secondary education.
It's speculated that everything is tied together. For example, vision changes can lead to further changes ultimately leading to dementia, or changes in the brain related to dementia could impact vision.
Our eyes take in the world around us, so if you're not processing information visually, it can impact your brain function.
Other risk factors include depression, diabetes, obesity, and high LDL cholesterol.
The 533 participants who eventually developed dementia showed slower visual processing speed and reaction times compared to those who didn't develop it.
A recent study shows vision sensitivity to be a possible predictor of dementia. The major study was conducted over almost 15 years, and researchers found that 533 of 8,623 participants (aged 48 to 92) developed dementia.
All 8,623 individuals had to do a small vision test at the beginning of the study. They had to hit the space bar of the keyboard when they saw a triangle form within a field of moving dots on the computer screen.
It's common for those with advanced dementia to have glassy or glazed eyes and to stare blankly into space.
If dementia is in your family, make sure you focus on reducing the 14 aforementioned lifestyle risk factors.
Be sure to get your vision corrected as soon as possible and in the best way you can. By reducing vision issues such as cataracts, macular degeneration, and glaucoma, you can help reduce your risk of developing dementia.
Vision loss and changes to your vision don’t always mean you'll develop dementia, however, they can increase your risk of developing the condition later in life.
Scheduling an annual eye doctor check-up is a great way to help yourself and your loved ones, If something is detected, it can be addressed quickly.
Sources: (Clevland Clinic) (Healthline)
See also: Eye exams: why they're important, and how they work
Hallucinations are defined as visions or perceptions of something that other people in the same situation can't see or perceive. Vision changes may be mistaken for hallucinations in people with dementia.
Doctors will first assess if a patient has a different underlying condition that is potentially treatable. If nothing proves applicable then they can do cognitive and neurological tests, brain scans, psychiatric evaluations, genetic tests, or blood tests. It's important to catch symptoms as early as possible because some can actually be treated.
A recent study shows that your vision can predict dementia 12 long years before a formal diagnosis. In a world where every second can matter to our health and well-being, having that kind of notice can help us make major changes. Learning about the link between dementia and vision might help you stay healthy long into your golden years.
Curious to know how vision plays a role in dementia detection? Click through now.
Can your vision predict dementia?
Recent studies answer the question
HEALTH Mental health
A recent study shows that your vision can predict dementia 12 long years before a formal diagnosis. In a world where every second can matter to our health and well-being, having that kind of notice can help us make major changes. Learning about the link between dementia and vision might help you stay healthy long into your golden years.
Curious to know how vision plays a role in dementia detection? Click through now.