Can Memory Loss Be Caused by Eye Disease?
They say your eyes are the window to your soul. Well, they may be a window to future health problems, as well.
A study being conducted by the Women’s Health Initiative is in the works of finding out if retinopathy, or the damage to the retina of the eye, can indicate if the patient may also be at risk for dementia. Dementia, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, is a loss of brain function that affects memory, thinking, language, judgment and behavior.
Researchers say the main player in this study is blood vessels. Blood vessels in the eye may indicate whether or not the blood vessels in the brain are properly functioning. Retinopathy is typically caused by health issues such as high blood pressure or diabetes, which also happen to by the leading cause of blindness among American adults.
These two diseases have also been closely linked to dementia. Those with diabetes or high blood pressure are at a higher risk for memory and thinking loss.
The Women’s Health Initiative is continuously working to put more support behind this finding. Researchers from University of California, San Francisco told WebMD that larger studies are in the works to confirm this study.
But thus far, it seems as though retinopathy can be an early warning sign of vascular-related mental issues.
At America’s Best, we strongly recommend being prompt about your annual eye exam, and perhaps as a reminder even making it around the time of your annual physical. If you’re experiencing discomfort, pain or a change in your vision, make an appointment as soon as possible with your optometrist inside your local America’s Best Contacts and Eyeglasses.
