Vision impairment and cognitive function among urban-dwelling malaysians aged 55 years and over from the Malaysian Elders Longitudinal Research (MELoR) study

Effendi-Tenang I 1 , Tan MP 2 , Khaliddin N 3 , Jamaluddin Ahmad M 4 , Amir NN 5 , Kamaruzzaman SB 6 Show all authors , Ramli N 7

Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Ophthalmology, University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; University of Malaya Eye Research Centre (UMERC), Department of Ophthalmology, University of Malaya, Malaysia. Electronic address: irina@ummc.edu.my
  • 2 Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Department of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Healthcare and Medical Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia. Electronic address: mptan@ummc.edu.my
  • 3 Department of Ophthalmology, University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; University of Malaya Eye Research Centre (UMERC), Department of Ophthalmology, University of Malaya, Malaysia. Electronic address: nurliza@ummc.edu.my
  • 4 Department of Ophthalmology, University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; University of Malaya Eye Research Centre (UMERC), Department of Ophthalmology, University of Malaya, Malaysia. Electronic address: marium@ummc.edu.my
  • 5 Department of Ophthalmology, University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; University of Malaya Eye Research Centre (UMERC), Department of Ophthalmology, University of Malaya, Malaysia. Electronic address: najieha@ummc.edu.my
  • 6 Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Electronic address: shahrulbahyah@ummc.edu.my
  • 7 Department of Ophthalmology, University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; University of Malaya Eye Research Centre (UMERC), Department of Ophthalmology, University of Malaya, Malaysia. Electronic address: norlina@ummc.edu.my
Arch Gerontol Geriatr, 2020 06 26;90:104165.
PMID: 32650156 DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2020.104165

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Published literature on vision impairment and cognitive function amongst older Malaysians remains scarce. This study investigates the association between vision impairment and cognitive function in an older Malaysian population.

METHODS: Subjects aged 55 years and above from the Malaysian Elders Longitudinal Research (MELoR) study with available information on vision and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores were included. Data were obtained through a home-based interview and hospital-based health check by trained researchers. Visual acuity (VA) was assessed with logMAR score with vision impairment defined as VA 6/18 or worse in the better-seeing eye. Cognition was evaluated using the MoCA-Blind scoring procedure. Those with a MoCA-Blind score of <19/22 were considered to have cognitive impairment.

RESULTS: Data was available for 1144 participants, mean (SD) age = 68.57 (±7.23) years. Vision impairment was present in 143 (12.5 %) and 758 (66.3 %) had MoCA-Blind score of <19. Subjects with vision impairment were less likely to have a MoCA-Blind score of ≥19 (16.8 % vs 36.2 %, p < 0.001). Vision impairment was associated with poorer MoCA-Blind scores after adjustments for age, gender, and ethnicity (β = 2.064; 95 % CI, -1.282 to 3.320; P = 0.003). In those who had > 6 years of education attainment, vision impairment was associated with a significant reduction of cognitive function and remained so after adjustment for age and gender (β = 1.863; 95 % CI, 1.081-3.209; P = 0.025).

CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that vision impairment correlates with cognitive decline. Therefore, maintaining good vision is an important interventional strategy for preventing cognitive decline in older adults.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

MeSH terms
Similar publications