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People who’ve age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, and diabetes-related eye disease (DRED) can have the next risk of dementia, a study published on September 13, 2021 suggests. British Journal of Ophthalmology.
Researchers collected health information on nearly 12,000 adults ages 55 to 73 after which followed them for 15 years, noting who had been diagnosed with dementia and age-related eye conditions. . They found that the chance of dementia was 26% higher in individuals with AMD, 11% higher in those with cataracts, and 61% higher in individuals with DRED. However, glaucoma was not related to an increased risk of dementia.
Multiple eye conditions also increased people's risk. People who had two eye conditions had the next risk of dementia than those that only had one eye condition. In addition, individuals who had a minimum of two eye conditions and other health problems, akin to diabetes, heart disease, stroke, or depression, were nearly thrice more prone to develop dementia.
It shouldn’t be clear how these eye problems could also be linked to dementia. One theory is that they might reduce activation within the brain's sensory pathways, that are related to the next risk of cognitive decline.
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