Clearer Vision Aids People With Alzheimer’s and Cataracts
Wed, January 20 2010 12:00:00 AM EST
A new study will look at the effects of cataract surgery for people with Alzheimer’s disease. Cataracts, one of the most common ailments of old age, cause a clouding of the lens of the eye. Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, cataracts are readily treatable. Replacing the lens through cataract surgery dramatically improves vision and, researchers say, makes it easier for those with Alzheimer’s to eat, read, move about their homes and do other everyday tasks.
Traditionally, many patients, caregivers and primary care doctors have been reluctant to proceed with cataract surgery once an individual is given the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. It had been thought that cataract surgery will not improve the Alzheimer’s patient’s quality of life, vision and thinking. But cataract surgery has many proven benefits, including reducing falls, in seniors.
In the five-year study, researchers will systematically review how correcting vision loss through cataract surgery affects the day-to-day lives of those with Alzheimer’s. The relatively simple procedure is done by an ophthalmologist, an eye doctor specially trained in the technique, and takes just 10 to 30 minutes to complete.
"This project addresses a major social justice issue in the disparity in vision care of persons diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease," said Dr. Grover "Cleve" Gilmore, dean of the Case Western Reserve Mandel School and principal investigator of the study.
Dr. Gilmore has been conducting research on cataracts for some 20 years. He found that many seniors with Alzheimer’s disease lose their ability to see objects clearly, especially in low light and in medium- and low-contrast environments. Cataracts, which cloud and blur the lens, are often a contributing factor. Most cataracts begin to form beginning in a person’s 60s.
Dr. Thomas Steinemann, professor of ophthalmology at the medical school, said he has observed improvements in people with Alzheimer’s following cataract surgery. Some patients who were combative before surgery are more cooperative following it, he said. And even though they still are cognitively impaired to some degree, Dr. Steinemann said improved vision may even help people with Alzheimer’s recognize family members.
"Ultimately, if you can't perceive something, it is hard to remember it," said Alan Lerner, associate professor of neurology at Case Western. "If the vision is blurry, then your memory may be more faulty than necessary. The cataract removal may offer benefits of improved quality of life, which is a major aim in Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics overall."
The study will recruit 210 people with Alzheimer’s disease who also show impairments from cataracts. Half will receive corrective cataract surgery, and the other half will wait six months to get surgery. Researchers will assess the effects of surgery on people with Alzheimer’s, using surveys of caregivers and other assessment techniques.
To learn more, visit ClinicalTrials.gov at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00921297. And if you suspect someone with Alzheimer’s disease might benefit from cataract treatment, consult your doctor.
By ALZinfo.org, The Alzheimer's Information Site. Reviewed by William J. Netzer, Ph.D., Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation at The Rockefeller University.
Source: Case Western University Medical School.
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