Visual and Cognitive Improvement Following Cataract Surgery in Dementia Patients
Narrative Responses:
Purpose
Alzheimer’s disease and cataracts are both aging-related diseases, co-occuring commonly in the same individual. However, there is reluctance on the part of the primary physician, family, and ophthalmologist to proceed with cataract surgery when visually indicated because of concerns regarding visual outcome and complications. A systematic analysis of visual and cognitive results in these patients undergoing cataract surgery is warranted. The present study is evaluating the impact of cataract surgery on the vision, cognition and quality of life of dementia patients.
Methods
Study participants were recruited from the greaterClevelandcommunity and from the neurology and ophthalmology clinics ofUniversityHospitalsCaseMedicalCenterandMetroHealthMedicalCenter. Recruitment of participants is ongoing with 42 participants currently in the protocol. The current analysis includes 28 participants who have completed the protocol (20 in the surgery group, 8 in the non-surgery group).
Results
Results to date have demonstrated an improvement in vision measures in patients after surgery, such as acuity. It is notable that measures of perceptual speed, such as digit cancellation, and cognitive status, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), also have yielded better performance following cataract surgery. Indeed, the MMSE improvement occurs across all areas of function not only on those items requiring vision.
Conclusion
This ongoing study is demonstrating that cataract surgery can improve both the vision and cognitive status of patients diagnosed with dementia.