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Cataract surgery may lead to quality-of-life improvements for patients with mild Alzheimer's
ORLANDO, Fla. — Patients with mild Alzheimer's disease whose vision improved after cataract surgery also displayed improvements in mood, cognitive ability and sleep patterns, according to a news release.
In her presentation at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting, Brigitte Girard, MD, said her study is the first to focus on the effect that cataract surgery may have on Alzheimer's patients, but previous studies have noted the link between successful cataract surgery and improved mood and thinking skills in older people, according to the release.
Dr. Girard's analysis examined 38 patients with an average age of 85 years. After successful standard cataract surgery and implantation of IOLs in subjects with debilitating cataracts in at least one eye, the study found significant improvements in distance and near vision in all but one patient.
Some of the patients displayed improved cognitive status and less depression from 1 month preop to 3 months postop, according to a neuropsychologist, the release said. The result was similar to what is seen in older cataract patients who do not have Alzheimer's.
"We wanted to learn whether significant vision improvement would result in positive mood and behavior changes, or might instead upset these patients' fragile coping strategies," Dr. Girard said in the release. "In future studies, we intend to learn what factors, specifically, led to the positive effects we found, so that we can boost the quality of life for Alzheimer's patients, their families and caregivers."
- Disclosure: Dr. Girard has no relevant financial disclosures.