According to a
recent study conducted by the University of Washington, adults who have undergone cataract surgery have shown to have a lower risk of developing dementia. This finding is expanding the medical field’s understanding of the connection between brain health and the eyes. For a memory loss disorder that does not have any known long-term treatment options or preventative methods, this discovery can potentially be significant to the quality of life of our aging seniors.
The study found that in adults over the age of 65 years old, nearly 30% had a lower risk of developing dementia for at least 10 years after cataract surgery, compared to those individuals who did not.
According to the lead researcher of the study, Dr. Cecilia Lee, the Klorfine Family associate professor of ophthalmology at UW School of Medicine, there are a couple of hypotheses that they believe to be the reason why this is the case.
First, when someone develops cataracts, there is a clouding of the lens that is common when they age. This clouding of one’s vision means that their brains receive lower quality sensory input. Think of it like viewing the world with yellow-tinted sunglasses all of the time. Dr. Lee went on to add that individuals who develop cataracts often experience blurred vision, have trouble seeing sharp colors, see halos around bright lights and are unable to drive at night. The risk of developing dementia is increased when the brain is not getting enough visual stimuli, because it loses neuronic connections that it once had before.
