This hearing fact just in: Vision loss has joined hearing loss on the list of modifiable risk factors for dementia, according to the latest report by the Lancet Commission on Dementia, Prevention, Intervention and Care.
According to the report, “increasing evidence supports an association between untreated vision loss and dementia risk and potential modification by treatment.”
This update follows the Lancet’s 2020 report, which named hearing loss the number one potentially modifiable risk factor for dementia.
(It’s worth noting that the latest report stated, “the evidence that hearing loss decreases the risk of dementia is now stronger than when our previous Commission was published. Use of hearing aids appears to be particularly effective in people with hearing loss and additional risk factors for dementia.”)
So, how did vision loss make the list and how does this sensory loss relate to hearing loss as a risk factor for dementia? Let’s discuss.
Untreated vision loss, cataracts found to increase dementia risk
According to the Lancet’s report, considerable new evidence has emerged that points to untreated vision loss as a modifiable risk factor for dementia. This includes the following:
- After an examination of 14 cohort studies, the Commission found that adults with untreated vision loss faced a 47% increased dementia risk.
- Another analysis revealed that cataracts (or clouding of the eye’s lens, resulting in blurry vision) and retina damage caused by diabetes were strongly linked to dementia.
- Follow-up research found that people with cataract extractions experienced a 29% decrease in dementia risk over people who did not have the extractions.
The Lancet concluded that “a clear opportunity for dementia prevention exists with treatment of visual loss.”
Vision loss and hearing loss have similar dementia risk factors
Interestingly, untreated hearing loss and vision loss share some similar risk factors for dementia. These include:
Structural changes to the brain
When it comes to untreated vision loss, the retina’s position as central nervous system tissue with a direct, unshielded connection to the brain (sending signals which the brain interprets as images) may play a part in structural changes in the brain associated with dementia.
A recent study by researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, for example, found that changes to the retina correlated with changes in the brain associated with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease.
Yosef Koronyo, MSc, a research associate and author of the study confirmed that these “changes in the retina correlated with changes in parts of the brain called the entorhinal and temporal cortices, a hub for memory, navigation, and the perception of time.”
How structural changes to the brain are associated with hearing loss:
The brain naturally shrinks as we age. But according to Johns Hopkins research, the lack of stimulation in the brain’s temporal lobe (where speech and sound are processed) caused by untreated hearing loss has been shown to speed up this loss of brain tissue. This accelerated brain atrophy (or shrinkage), can impact the ability to think and remember.
Added cognitive load
Whether you have untreated vision loss or untreated hearing loss, you may be putting yourself at risk for cognitive load, or brain strain. This happens when our sensory loss causes everyday tasks or other interactions to become more challenging.
As a result, the brain spends too much time trying to process what it is seeing or what it is hearing, leaving fewer mental resources to spend on thinking and memory.
Reduced participation, social isolation
When it becomes difficult to perform everyday tasks outside the home or spend time with others due to vision loss or hearing loss, the result can be the inclination to isolate and, consequentially, develop loneliness.
While diminishing quality of life, this situation can also increase the risk of dementia, according to research.
Maintain your senses with help from a professional
Realistically, we would seek treatment if our vision declined, right? So, why wouldn’t we do the same for hearing loss? As our discussion shows, both senses play major roles in our daily lives, quality of life, and overall health.
So, let’s take today’s hearing fact as an important reminder of how essential it is to monitor our eyes and ears regularly and to treat any loss—sooner rather than later.
Make an appointment with an eye care professional or a hearing care professional today.