Vision impairment, vision correction, and cognitive decline among middle-aged and older Chinese: results from the China health and retirement longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the associations between vision impairment (VI), vision correction (VC), and cognitive function.

METHOD

We included 20,677 participants aged ≥45 years from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011-2015). Participants were grouped into no VI, distance VI (DVI) only, near VI (NVI) only, or both distance and near VI (DNVI), and VI(+)/VC(-), VI(+)/VC(+), VI(-)/VC(-), or VI(-)/VC(+) further at baseline. Cognitive function at baseline and subsequently every two years was applied as a dependent variable in a generalized estimating equation model.

RESULTS

DVI only, NVI only, and DNVI had significantly worse cognitive function over time than no VI (all  < .05). DNVI had significantly worse cognitive function over time than DVI only and NVI only (all  < .001). VI(+)/VC(+), VI(-)/VC(-), and VI(-)/VC(+) had significantly better cognitive function over time than VI(+)/VC(-) (all  < .05). VI(-)/VC(+) had significantly better cognitive function over time than VI(+)/VC(+) and VI(-)/VC(-) (all  < .05).

CONCLUSION

Cognitive function was worse in middle-aged and older Chinese with VI, especially in those with DNVI. VC was associated with better cognitive function over time regardless of the status of vision.