Older adults with vision impairment issues, whether due to cataracts, glaucoma or other diseases, often find that they have difficulty communicating with others and engaging in their surroundings due to the vision loss. This can have a significant impact on their mental acuity. Addressing these visual impairment issues in people of advanced age can help counteract cognitive decline.
Cataracts
Cataract surgery is a safe, minimally invasive procedure with a high success rate. It is even safe for much older individuals as the average age in a recent study conducted on the correlation between cataract surgery and cognitive abilities state the average age of the participants to be 84 years old. Not only will the individual’s vision drastically improve but it will slow the progression of memory loss and improve overall cognitive function. Other issues shown to improve by restoring vision loss is a lessening of psychiatric conditions such as anxiety and depression.
Glaucoma
New findings suggest vision loss in people with glaucoma is caused by an immune response to bacteria exposure which can elevate eye pressure. Surgery involves either laser treatment or making a cut in the eye to reduce the pressure. The type of surgery your doctor recommends will depend on the type and severity of your glaucoma and the general health of your eye. Surgery can help lower pressure when medication is not sufficient. Surgery cannot cure glaucoma or reverse the effects of vision loss, but it can help protect your vision from getting worse. In older patients, glaucoma filtering surgery is successful in about 70-90% of cases.
Whether your elderly loved one needs vision improvement due to cataracts or glaucoma, the benefits of cognitive improvement should seriously be considered and weighed as a factor when determining whether to proceed with surgery to remedy the condition. At Stouffer Legal in the Greater Baltimore area we care about our seniors. For more information on our Elder Law Services such as long-term care planning and Medicaid eligibility, contact us for a consultation.
