What do I need to know about cataracts if my loved one has dementia?
Not everyone with dementia has cataracts nor do all patients with cataracts have dementia, but a significant number will have both conditions. Because of this, many individuals may face having a cataract operation while also dealing with dementia.
Cataracts are a very common eye condition. As we get older the lens inside our eye gradually changes and becomes less transparent (clear). A lens that has turned misty or cloudy is said to have a cataract. As a cataract gets worse it can interfere with the individual's daily living activities. Having cataracts could make things harder to see, make reading difficult, make colors seem washed out, and cause problems with mobility. Cataracts can also cause problems with bright light, and many individuals have problems with glare. Most people have their cataract removed by a straightforward operation.
This operation removes the cloudy lens and replaces it with an artificial lens implant. This makes sight clear again and removes the vision problems caused by the cataract.
Cataracts can be removed at any time. An individual with dementia may benefit from having them removed sooner rather than later, because it may be easier to deal with the cataract operation before their dementia symptoms get worse. The caregiver should look for signs or difficulties their loved one may be experiencing with their eyesight. A visit to the optometrist is necessary to check for cataracts should the individual have trouble with the following: recognizing familiar faces, being in bright light, low light or both, reading facial expressions, finding things, reading, enjoying familiar hobbies, managing in unfamiliar surroundings, locating food on the plate and/or managing current spectacles (perhaps saying "I need new glasses").
A cataract can only be treated by surgery. This surgery normally takes place as an outpatient procedure using a local anesthetic. The lens implant used during the surgery will mean that the individual's sight is slightly different than it was before the operation. Usually this means that if the individual needed glasses for distance then they may not need them after the operation. This is because the lens implant used in the surgery can correct the vision for distance. It is possible to correct the individual's vision in various ways using the lens implant. The caregiver and ophthalmologist can discuss which lens implant to use so that their loved one's vision is best following the operation.
Cataract surgery for individuals with dementia is very successful and usually results in good vision. However, there are some important things to be considered. Cataracts that aren't removed will eventually affect someone's day-to-day life. Getting cataracts diagnosed early through regular eye examinations by an optometrist is important so that the individual gets the treatment they need at the best time. Deciding if and when to have a cataract removed will depend on how badly they are affecting sight, how advanced the dementia is and the difficulties it may cause in the individual's day-to-day life.