Age-Related Eye Disease and Cognitive Function: The Search for Mediators.

PURPOSE: Age-related eye disease may be associated with cognitive decline, but the scientific literature has not been consistent. Furthermore, no studies have been able to explain the relationship. Our objective was to assess whether older adults with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or glaucoma performed worse on 6 cognitive tests compared with older adults with normal vision and, if so, to understand why. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of hospital-based study (Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Ophthalmology Clinics, Montréal, Canada). PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred thirty-six adults 65 years of age or older with either AMD, glaucoma, or normal vision. METHODS: Cognition was measured with 6 cognitive tests administered orally. Activity levels were measured using the Victoria Longitudinal Study Activity Lifestyle Questionnaire. Visual acuity and visual field were measured. Multiple linear regression was used. Mediation was assessed using structural equation modeling. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Results of the verbal fluency test (animal and letter versions), the digit span test (forward and backward versions), and the logical memory test (immediate and delayed recall). RESULTS: People with glaucoma showed lower scores on 3 cognitive tests than the group with normal vision: the digit span forward and backward tests (ß = -0.8 [95% confidence interval (CI), -1.5 to -0.2] and ß = -0.7 [95% CI, -1.3 to -0.1], respectively) and the logical memory test with immediate recall (ß = -1.3 [95% CI, -2.4 to -0.2]). Activity levels statistically significantly mediated the relationship between glaucoma and the digit span forward test (P = 0.043; percentage of the total effect mediated, 17%). CONCLUSIONS: People with glaucoma showed lower scores on cognitive tests that may depend on verbal working memory and encoding. If confirmed in longitudinal studies, interventions should be developed that are appropriate for a visually impaired population to slow this cognitive decline.

Self-care tools to treat depressive symptoms in patients with age-related eye disease: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Depression is very common in people with age-related eye disease. Our goal was to determine if self-care tools plus limited telephone support could reduce depressive symptoms in patients with age-related macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy. DESIGN: A single-blind randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital in Montreal, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty participants were recruited. METHODS: To be eligible, participants must have had either late stage age-related macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy, at least mild depressive symptoms, and visual acuity better than 20/200. Half were randomized to the intervention arm and half to delayed intervention/usual care. The intervention consisted of large print written and audio tools incorporating cognitive-behavioral principles plus three 10-minute telephone calls from a lay coach. Eight-week follow-up data were collected by telephone. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the 8-week change in depressive symptoms as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Secondary outcomes included anxiety, life space and self-efficacy. RESULTS: The baseline mean logMAR visual acuity was 0.37 (SD = 0.20), and the baseline mean Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score was 9.5 (SD = 3.9) indicating moderate depressive symptoms. After adjusting for baseline imbalances in visual acuity, the intervention reduced depressive symptoms by 2.1 points more than usual care (P = 0.040). The intervention was not associated with the secondary outcomes (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Self-care tools plus telephone coaching led to a modest improvement in depressive symptoms in patients with age-related eye disease. Additional research on how to maximize their effect is necessary.

Age-Related Eye Disease and Participation in Cognitive Activities.

Studies have found a benefit to living a cognitively active life in older age. Our goal was to quantify participation in cognitively stimulating activities in adults with and without age-related eye disease. We conducted a cross-sectional hospital-based study in Montreal, Canada of older adults (n = 303) having either age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (n = 96), glaucoma (n = 93), or normal vision (n = 114). To be eligible, the AMD group had to have bilateral late stage AMD with a better eye visual acuity of 20/30 or worse. The glaucoma group had to have a diagnosis of bilateral primary open-angle glaucoma with visual field mean deviation < = -4 dB in their better eye. Further inclusion criteria included age ≥ 65 and a Mini-Mental State Exam Blind score ≥ 10. Cognitive activities were measured using the Victoria Longitudinal Study Activity Questionnaire. Linear regression was used. Patients with AMD (ß = -4.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) -6.0, -2.4) and glaucoma (ß = -1.8, 95% CI -3.3, -0.3) participated in fewer cognitive activities per month compared to those with normal vision after adjusting for age, sex, education, diabetes, number of comorbidities, cognition, and cataract. People with AMD and glaucoma participated in fewer cognitive activities, which could put them at risk for future cognitive impairment.

Age-related eye disease and cognitive function.

PURPOSE: To determine whether people with age-related eye disease have lower cognitive scores than people with healthy vision. METHODS: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was performed in which 420 people aged 65 and older from the ophthalmology clinics at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital (Montreal, Canada) were recruited who had age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Fuch's corneal dystrophy, or glaucoma. Patients with AMD and Fuchs had to have visual acuity in the better eye of worse than 20/40 while patients with glaucoma had to have visual field in their worse eye of at least -4 dB. Controls, recruited from the same clinics, did not have significant vision loss. Cognitive status was measured using the Mini-Mental State Exam Blind Version (range, 0-22) which excludes eight items that rely on vision. Linear regression with bootstrapped standard errors was used to adjust for demographic and medical factors. RESULTS: People with AMD, Fuch's corneal dystrophy, and glaucoma had lower cognitive scores, on average, than controls (P < 0.05). These relationships remained statistically significant after adjusting for factors such as age, sex, race, education, living alone, systemic comorbidities, and lens opacity. CONCLUSIONS: People with vision loss due to three different age-related eye diseases had lower cognitive scores. Reasons for this should be explored using longitudinal studies and a full battery of cognitive tests that do not rely on vision.

Explaining the relationship between three eye diseases and depressive symptoms in older adults.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine whether patients with age-related eye diseases, like age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, or Fuchs corneal dystrophy, are more likely to show signs of depression compared to a control group of older adults with good vision, and to determine whether reduced mobility mediates these relationships. METHODS: We recruited 315 eligible patients (81 with AMD, 55 with Fuchs, 91 with glaucoma, and 88 controls) from the ophthalmology clinics of a Montreal hospital from September 2009 until December 2011. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form (GDS-15). Life space was measured using the Life Space Assessment. Logistic regression was used to adjust for demographic, health, and social factors, and mediation was assessed using the methods of Baron and Kenny. RESULTS: There were 78 people (25%) meeting the criteria for depression in the cohort. All three groups with eye disease were more likely to be depressed than the control group after adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, education, cognitive score, limitations in activities of daily living, social support, and lens opacity (P < 0.05). Life space and limited activities due to a fear of falling appeared to mediate the relationship between eye disease and depression. CONCLUSIONS: Visually limiting eye disease is associated with depression in older adults. Further research on interventions to prevent depression in patients with eye disease is warranted and should consider strategies to alleviate mobility limitation. Greater attention from families, physicians, and society to the mental health needs and mobility challenges of patients with eye disease is needed.

Activity limitation due to a fear of falling in older adults with eye disease.

PURPOSE: To examine whether patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, or Fuchs corneal dystrophy report limiting their activity due to a fear of falling as compared with a control group of older adults with good vision. METHODS: We recruited 345 patients (93 with AMD, 57 with Fuchs, 98 with glaucoma, and 97 controls) from the ophthalmology clinics of Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital (Montreal, Canada) to participate in a cross-sectional study from September 2009 until July 2012. Control patients who had normal visual acuity and visual field were recruited from the same clinics. Participants were asked if they limited their activity due to a fear of falling. Visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and visual field were measured and the medical record was reviewed. RESULTS: Between 40% and 50% of patients with eye disease reported activity limitation due to a fear of falling compared with only 16% of controls with normal vision. After adjustment for age, sex, race, number of comorbidities, cognition, and lens opacity, the Fuchs groups was most likely to report activity limitation due to a fear of falling (odds ratio [OR] = 3.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.33-7.06) followed by the glaucoma group (OR = 2.84; 95% CI, 1.36-5.96) and the AMD group (OR = 2.42; 95% CI, 1.09-5.35). Contrast sensitivity best explained these associations. CONCLUSIONS: Activity limitation due to a fear of falling is very common in older adults with visually impairing eye disease. Although this compensatory strategy may protect against falls, it may also put people at risk for social isolation and disability.

Age-related eye disease and mobility limitations in older adults.

PURPOSE: To examine the extent of mobility limitations in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, or Fuchs' corneal dystrophy compared with that in a control group of older adults with good vision. METHODS: Two hundred seventy-two patients (68 with AMD, 49 with Fuchs' dystrophy, 82 with glaucoma, and 73 controls) from the ophthalmology clinics of Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital (Montreal, Canada) participated in a cross-sectional study from September 2009 until February 2011. Control patients who had normal visual acuity and visual fields were recruited from the same clinics. Questionnaire (life space, falls, and driving) and performance-based (one-legged balance test, Timed Up and Go [TUG] test) mobility data were collected; visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and visual field were measured; and the medical record was reviewed. RESULTS: The three eye diseases were associated with different patterns of mobility limitations. Patients with glaucoma had the most types of mobility limitations, as they had reduced life-space scores, had worse TUG scores, were less likely to drive, and were more likely to have poor balance than the control group (P < 0.05). Compared with the controls, patients with AMD and Fuchs' corneal dystrophy had reduced life-space scores and were less likely to drive (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that eye diseases, especially glaucoma, restrain the mobility of older people in many different ways. It is important to further explore the impact of eye disease on mobility in this population, to develop interventions that could help affected older adults maintain their independence.