Near-Vision Loss in Older Patients Associated With Increased Dementia Risk
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Decreased near-vision function in older patients may increase the risk for later dementia, new research suggests. Analyses from the population-based Three City study of more than 7700 participants older than age 65 years showed that those with moderate-to-severe near-vision loss at baseline were significantly more likely to develop dementia 12 years later than those who did not have any loss of function. But there was no association between distance-vision loss and dementia risk. The main message is that clinicians need to be careful of eye vision and realize its importance for these patients. Patients shouldn't assume that vision loss as they get older is just a normal part of aging, she said. Instead, they should seek out a clinical examination both to improve eyesight and to rule out other related conditions.
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@soumini The Three City study enrolled 9294 participants from Bordeaux, Montpellier, and Dijon, France, between 1999 and 2001, with a follow-up every 2 years. At baseline and at each follow-up, dementia cases were identified by using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition. For the current analysis, the investigators assessed the 7736 participants who had vision data at baseline. Of these individuals, 8.7% had mild near-vision loss, 4.2% had moderate-to-severe near-vision loss, and 5.3% had distance-vision loss.