Tell me about the study.
Scientists used data from the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study, which tracked changes in the health and economic conditions of 20,000 older adults.
What did they find?
Having vision issues corrected was one of the top preventative ways to minimize the risk for developing Alzheimer’s and similar dementias. (via)
How exactly does correcting vision reduce this risk?
Growing evidence suggests that vision issues cause more stress on the brain and are connected to changes in brain function, as seen in dementia. Left untreated, vision and other sensory impairments can reduce daily routines and activities in older adults.
Talk numbers to me.
Researchers reported that just under 2% of dementia cases in the US were connected to visual impairments and estimated that number would increase to an approximate 250,000 by the year 2050.
Prevalence of vision impairment among older adults was higher in Hispanics, with 11%, compared to Blacks and non-Hispanic whites, with an 8.3% average. (via)
Take home.
The authors noted that technologies and treatments in vision correction are vastly underutilized within the US and across the globe—and even more so within disadvantaged communities. They recommended that additional research is needed to determine whether such corrections can help to protect mental brain health.