A new research study has found that seniors who are cognitively impaired may be more likely to have early age related macular degeneration than those with no cognitive impairments.
Researchers have suspected for some time that there was a link between age related macular degeneration and Alzheimer’s disease.
Both diseases involve similar changes in the body’s tissues as well as risk factors for circulatory disease. They may also share a common genetic profile.
Researchers used a simple test to evaluate cognitive functioning. Subjects who had been diagnosed with age related macular degeneration scored lower than those who did not have age related macular degeneration.
Researchers found that those whose cognitive function scores were in the lowest 25 percent were 200 percent more likely to have been diagnosed with early age related macular degeneration.
It is important to note that there were differences found between patients who were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and patients who were diagnosed with dementia.
Further studies will be performed to provide information that may help us understand the link between age related macular degeneration and impairment of cognitive function.
It is important that seniors have annual physical exams to evaluate their cognitive function, as well as annual eye exams to maintain their eye health.
