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Did you know that Alzheimer’s disease can affect vision even if there’s nothing physically wrong with a person’s eyes? Sometimes residents do things that seem odd to us. But these actions often result from changes going on in parts of the brain that affect vision. Let’s look at a few of these common conditions.
Color & Contrast Perception
This makes it difficult for a person to see an object against a background of the same color. For example, a resident might have trouble recognizing a white toilet if the walls or the floor in the bathroom are also white.
Perhaps they can’t see a piece of yellow cake if served on a yellow plate. Also, food often looks less appealing because of distortions in color perception. Sometimes residents even have difficulty seeing you if your clothing is the same color as the wall behind you.
Reduced Field of Vision
People with Alzheimer’s disease often have trouble seeing off to the side. If you approach them from the side instead of from the front, you’ll startle them. This also results in residents bumping into objects, and it increases the possibility of injuries.
Following Motion
Damage to the brain makes it more difficult to see moving objects. This is one reason why watching television is challenging for people with Alzheimer’s disease. It also results in frustration with recreational activities that involve a lot of movement.
Depth Perception
Changes in depth perception result in people having a hard time judging distance and determining if something is an actual object or a picture. A resident may try to pick a flower off of a flowered fabric. Or they might have trouble reaching for an item such as a coffee cup.
Sitting down on a chair or walking down stairs becomes challenging. They might perceive a dark square of carpet as a hole in the floor. Unfortunately, problems with depth perception predispose people to falls and other injuries.
If you would like to learn more about these and other effects of Alzheimer’s disease, I recommend these two excellent resources: the Alzheimer’s Association and the Alzheimer’s Foundation.
(You might also like to learn about how the aging process affects vision.)
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