Estil-Las Amir A, Grace Martena, Arsene Camelia, Gonzalez La Rosa Jessie
Medical School, Ross University School of Medicine, Miramar, USA.
Internal Medicine, Trinity Health Oakland, Pontiac, USA.
Cureus. 2025 Jul 31;17(7):e89166. doi: 10.7759/cureus.89166. eCollection 2025 Jul.
Dementia and cataracts are two leading causes of disability among the elderly population throughout the world. The relationship between both pathologies remains underrecognized. This paper explores the emerging evidence linking cataracts to cognitive decline and dementia, proposing that visual impairment may contribute to neurodegeneration. Popular hypotheses supporting these claims include circadian rhythm disruption, sensory deprivation, reduced social engagement, and increased cognitive load. Epidemiological data supports the co-prevalence of cataracts and dementia. Patients undergoing cataract removal have shown improved performance on cognitive assessments, suggesting that vision correction may enhance neural efficiency and quality of life; moreover, interventional studies demonstrate that cataract surgery not only improves visual impairment but may also slow cognitive deterioration. This paper also elucidates the clinical and public health implications of the integration of vision care into cognitive health strategies. The global dementia burden is projected to rise sharply in the coming decades; we propose that early intervention through cataract surgery may offer a cost-effective method to preserve cognitive function. Ultimately, identifying and treating visual impairment may serve as a crucial step toward delaying the progression of dementing illnesses.
痴呆症和白内障是全球老年人群残疾的两大主要原因。这两种病症之间的关系仍未得到充分认识。本文探讨了将白内障与认知衰退及痴呆症联系起来的新证据,提出视力障碍可能导致神经退行性变。支持这些说法的流行假说包括昼夜节律紊乱、感觉剥夺、社交参与减少和认知负荷增加。流行病学数据支持白内障和痴呆症的共同流行。接受白内障摘除手术的患者在认知评估中的表现有所改善,这表明视力矫正可能提高神经效率和生活质量;此外,干预性研究表明,白内障手术不仅能改善视力障碍,还可能减缓认知衰退。本文还阐明了将视力保健纳入认知健康策略的临床和公共卫生意义。预计在未来几十年里,全球痴呆症负担将急剧上升;我们建议通过白内障手术进行早期干预可能是一种具有成本效益的保护认知功能的方法。最终,识别和治疗视力障碍可能是延缓痴呆症进展的关键一步。