Getting help for vision troubles may help stave off dementia, according to a report from the Lancet Commission on dementia.
Since 2020, the group of researchers, led by Gill Livingston, a Professor of Psychiatry of older people at the University College of London, has been tracking a dozen dementia risk factors that can be addressed to lower the risk of memory loss. The group says about 45% of dementia cases may be preventable. This summer they added treatable vision loss and high LDL cholesterol to the list.
Some vision correction can be pretty straightforward by getting prescription glasses. The group also cited a U.S. study of more than 3,000 adults over the age of 65 with cataract which found surgical removal was linked to a lower risk of dementia.
Similarly, hearing loss is common for older adults and has presented as a risk factor for dementia. Hearing aids can be notably effective in decreasing dementia risk, said the Commission.
The chart below shows the risk factors that they have identified and notes that they can occur – and be addressed – throughout a person’s lifetime. Some are more easily addressed than others, and they can be tied to medical, societal, and lifestyle factors. The group also notes that there is much potential to address these dementia risk factors in low- and middle-income countries by addressing issues like access to education and medical treatment.
Credit: Lancet Commission on Dementia, July 31, 2024
