Age-related eye diseases in individuals with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease

• Main Authors: Chua, Jacqueline, Zhang, Zheting, Wong, Damon, Tan, Bingyao, Kulantayan, Bhavani, Sng, Chelvin C. A., Hilal, Saima, Venketasubramanian, Narayanaswamy, Tan, Boon Yeow, Cheung, Carol Y., Garhöfer, Gerhard, Popa-Cherecheanu, Alina, Wong, Tien Yin, Chen, Christopher Li-Hsian, Schmetterer, Leopold
• Other Authors: Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: Science::Medicine; Age-Related Macular Degeneration; Diabetic Retinopathy
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/161455
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Introduction: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and age-related eye diseases pose an increasing burden as the world’s population ages. However, there is limited understanding on the association of AD/cognitive impairment, no dementia (CIND) with age-related eye diseases. Methods: In this cross-sectional, memory clinic-based study of multiethnic Asians aged 50 and above, participants were diagnosed as AD (n = 216), cognitive impairment, no dementia (CIND) (n = 252), and no cognitive impairment (NCI) (n = 124) according to internationally accepted criteria. Retinal photographs were graded for the presence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) using standard grading systems. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models were used to determine the associations between neurological diagnosis and odds of having eye diseases. Results: Over half of the adults had at least one eye disease, with AMD being the most common (60.1%; n = 356), followed by DR (8.4%; n = 50). After controlling for age, sex, race, educational level, and marital status, persons with AD were more likely to have moderate DR or worse (OR = 2.95, 95% CI = 1.15–7.60) compared with NCI. In the fully adjusted model, the neurological diagnosis was not associated with AMD (OR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.45–1.24). Conclusion: Patients with AD have an increased odds of having moderate DR or worse, which suggests that these vulnerable individuals may benefit from specific social support and screening for eye diseases.