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Alzheimer's Or Vision
Problems?
By
Beverly Moore |
Question:
Do people with Alzheimer’s have vision problems? My sister
with Alzheimer’s sees things I don’t see and has trouble
finding her way around. Should I have her eyes checked?
Answer:
People with dementia are confused and often distort what is
happening in their surroundings. It is always a good idea to
have vision and hearing checked as deficits in these senses
will make their world more confusing. Providing needed
glasses and hearing aids improve the person’s ability to
understand what is said and feel at home in their
environment. Often a person appears much more confused
simply because they are not provided every means to clarify
what is happening around them.
On the other hand, some people with Alzheimer’s are checked
for vision and no deficit is found, yet they misperceive the
environment. They get lost in their own home, reach for
something and completely miss the mark. Their vision may be
20/20 but it appears they don’t see things accurately. This
is due to the part of the brain affected; the occipital lobe
(the back of the head). This lobe tells the eyes what they
are seeing. The damaged brain doesn’t give the right message
and the person misjudges distance, depth and motion. It is
extremely important for this person to be safe from falls.
They may trip over rugs, not see stairs, or fail to see the
chair they are trying to sit on.
So in addition to checking eyesight, the caregiver must
provide constant attention to maintain safety. Safety
proofing the home needs the help of someone who specializes
in home safety and understands the cognitive deficits of
dementia. |
About The Author
Beverly Moore is president of Sweet Grapes, Inc. and
StilMee™ The leader in Alzheimer coaching. You may email her
at StilMee@comcast. net or call her at (617) 233-1145. You
may also visit her web site at www.StilMee.com. Beverly’s
book Matters of the Mind…and the Heart is available on line
@ www.Advantagebookstore.com. Five dollars from each book
sale goes into the StilMee Scholarship Fund serving low
income families with coaching help.
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