Cataract is a disorder that develops in the lens of the eye as we age, causing fading of colors and blurring of vision. Discomfort occurs when the lens that allows us to see loses its transparency. With the progression of the disease, which is one of the leading eye disorders due to aging, both near and far vision are severely impaired.
If we think of our eye as a camera, a cataract affects vision in the same way that a fogging of the lens of the camera affects the photograph. The solution for re-improving the quality of vision is to replace the blurred lens, which prevents vision, with an artificial lens. A group of scientists in America studied the effect of cataract treatment on the development of mental disorders in the elderly.
Risk of mental illness may be reduced in the elderly
It may seem strange at first that an eye disease may cause an individual to be more susceptible to different health problems. However, all sensory impairments, especially vision or hearing loss, also affect the cognitive function of older adults. The team that conducted the study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), hypothesized that “Older adults whose eyesight improved with cataract treatment have a lower risk of developing dementia (impaired memory and similar mental abilities) than people who did not receive treatment.
While testing the hypothesis, the researchers analyzed long-term data designed to examine the development of dementia. Data; smoking habits, diabetes, heart disease history and many ailments, including hypertension, were examined. The results proved that cataract treatment has a significant association with a lower risk of developing diseases resulting from memory and mental disorders in adults 65 years and older.
The main reason for the result was the severe limitation of the social life of the people due to visual impairments. In addition, it has been suggested that cognitive problems may occur in old age, as the deterioration of vision causes the signals transmitted to the brain to decrease and the neurons to work more inefficiently. “No medical intervention so far has shown such a strong association with reducing the risk of dementia in older individuals, which is very exciting,” said Dr. Cecilia Lee.
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