50+ Lifestyles

Poor Vision and Hearing Loss; Why It’s Important To Stay On Top Of It.

By Karen McCoy
Marketing Consultant at Ridgecrest Village

When was the last time you had your vision checked? Or your hearing checked? If you are letting these slip through the cracks here is motivation to schedule them. Research is linking loss of this kind of sensory function to cognitive decline, including, in some instances dementia.

One study, published in JAMA Ophthalmology, followed two large sets of older Americans totaling more than 30,000 people. The results revealed “two-fold higher odds of cognitive impairment among patients with poor vision,” says the study’s author, ophthalmologist Suzann Pershing, of the Stanford University School of Medicine.

One theory is that that poor vision leads to social isolation and disengagement, which provide less of the stimulation needed to maintain a sharp mind. When there is vision loss, the brain has to work harder in order to process and interpret information to do basic activities. This may make the brain tire more easily. Routine tasks could become more difficult.

There may also be links to hearing loss and cognitive issues. In one major study at Johns Hopkins, older adults who began the study with hearing loss severe enough to interfere with conversation were 24 percent more likely than those with normal hearing to see their mental abilities diminish. Essentially hearing loss seemed to speed up age-related
cognitive decline.

A 2018 study from the University of Wisconsin linked the early stages of Alzheimer’s to poor hearing. Studying data on nearly 800 people in their 50s and 60s who had normal cognitive function, author Taylor Fields found that over the course of four years, those diagnosed with hearing loss were roughly three times as likely to have mild cognitive impairment. It is proven that untreated hearing loss is associated with conditions like depression and social isolation, which are themselves risk factors for dementia.

Dr. Martin O’Malley, M.D. from Eye Surgeons Associates will be sharing his thoughts on poor vision and how it can lead to social isolation and disengagement at Ridgecrest Village. He will be discussing whether diminished hearing could be a flag for future Alzheimer’s?

Maria Carrillo, chief science officer of the Alzheimer’s Association, points out, it’s unclear whether vision loss, like hearing loss, causes (or worsens) cognitive decline or is caused by it. “It could be that both are happening,” says Carrillo.

Experts recommend that you stay on top of hearing and vision checks because loss in either can come on gradually. Your eye exams are important because many people do not notice vision loss until late stages and can potentially be irreversible, as in glaucoma. You should have your vision checked every year if you’re over 65, and every one to three years if you’re 55 to 64, she notes.

Dr. O’Malley will talk about these studies and then
discuss the most common conditions of vision loss due to aging and what treatments are available.

Please join Dr. Martin O’Malley, M.D. from Eye Surgeons Associates as he presents “Vision and Brain Health”. There will also be hearing screens available at no charge. For more information, please see our ad on page 31.

Bio: Dr. Martin O’Malley joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 2014. He is a Board Certified Ophthalmologist with specialty interests in the surgical treatment of cataracts and comprehensive ophthalmology.

RSVP to: Ridgecrest Village at 563-391-3430 to reserve your seat at the presentation.

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