Alzheimer's eyes

[Alister]

I have often heard of the term alzheimers eyes or alzheimers stare, where the eyes look glazed.

I am going to attach a collage if 3 photos of my dad. The middle one is from 2019 where to me he looked like the dad I knew and he looked healthy. The one on the left as you look at it was from 2022, now that I look back on it his eyes look glazed and he looks like he staring past the camera. The one on the right is the most recent one, this is from 2 weeks ago. To me he looks ill, and his eyes definitely look glazed to me.

Could someone tell me if I'm imagining things or not? because my Cousin thinks the same as me.

 

[Duggies-girl]

I wouldn't like to say. My dad's eyes were bright until his last few days and then I don't think he could see quite clearly but you will probably get better answers than mine by morning.

I do think eyesight fades over time but it may not be a generalised thing and I wouldn't read anything into it. Sorry that is all I can say.

 

[Alister]

I wouldn't like to say. My dad's eyes were bright until his last few days and then I don't think he could see quite clearly but you will probably get better answers than mine by morning.

I do think eyesight fades over time but it may not be a generalised thing and I wouldn't read anything into it. Sorry that is all I can say.

 

[Alister]

It's not the only thing I've noticed. He sits and taps the arms of his chair as if he's agitated about something. He seems to get irritated at the slightest thing, seems to sleep a lot, clears his throat constantly after eating, flares up with people for no reason and does things in an aggressive manner. He seems to be withdrawing from driving as it feels like I have to drive him about everywhere, problems with recently learnt information, has started repeating questions but with slightly different wording. All these things are making me and my cousin suspect that he has dementia or alzheimers but getting him to a doctor will be a problem because I know he will refuse to go.

 

[Jessbow]

i have never heard of Altzheimers eyes!
or Altzheimer stare.

i dont think we can tell if your dad is staring from those photos - i wouldnt say his symptoms particually suggest dementia either, as he ages, he may forget things, but that may not be dementia

 

[special 1]

Hi there. No you are right with what you see. My husband had the doctor in one time and he noticed the change in his eyes. He said they get a fixed look and don't move the same. It is like he is looking through you. As you say maybe every one is different though.

 

[Grannie G]

I thought your dad looked fine @Alister but I don`t know him and have not lived with him.

From my experience the blank not seeing look comes well into the later stages.

The behaviours you mention could be anxiety or they could be the early stages but only a doctor would be able to tell you definitely.

I know you are worried and the forum will support you but your dad would need a diagnosis from a doctor after all other possibilities have been discounted.

 

[Angel55]

💗 Hello

I see it now in my PWD now but we are much later into the illness and we have a diagnosis of Alzheimer's and we are still switching between the person I know and the person with more of the illness even at this point.

I have experienced with both my parents knowing something wasn't quite right as we were very close but it was many years of gently pushing or a crisis that proved me right with different things.

As you know your person best go with your instinct and encourage being seen and try to devise a way of getting to the gp. We used an existing medical condition that needed a check up. That could be a starting point.

It is easy to jump to the worst case scenario and sometimes it can be something else because you sense something isn't right but you don't know what.

 

[Izzy]

I think my husband’s eyes did change but again much later in his dementia diagnosis. Like others I don’t see much difference in your dad’s eyes but you are with him, we’re not.

There was another thread about this some time ago -

My dad's eyes have changed

I care for my dad 24/7 so I study him for most of the day over these past few months his eyes seemed to have changed I can't quite put my finger on what is different about them he looks vacant? or not sure if the liveliness has gone from them, sometimes I wonder if it is me imaging it but my...

forum.alzheimers.org.uk

 

[Banjomansmate]

I found The Banjoman’s eyes seemed to lose “life” as his LBD progressed.

 

[canary]

Dementia doesnt cause problems with the eyes themselves, but it does cause problems with the way that the brain processes the sight (this happens with the hearing too). It can also cause problems with focussing (especially near objects) and with scanning (looking around the environment to see what is there) as the messages from the brain to the eyes are lost. This often results in an unfocussed look about the eyes - Ive heard it referred to as a "thousand mile stare" - similar to when people are woolgathering and are lost in their own thoughts. It can often be associated with a "flat" mask-like expression on their face, but it often doesnt always show on photos, which are static. It results in quite a typical "look" about them, but it is usually only apparent in the mid to late stages - my OH has only just started to show this.

I cant say whether your dad is getting this or not @Alister , nor can anyone on here tell you whether he is developing dementia. I would say, though - go with your gut and get him checked out

 

[JoannePat]

We call it the flat stare. My mum had it and my dad has started to show signs. As everyone has said you definitely need to get your dad checked out.

Jxx

 

[gbayoo]

i have never heard of Altzheimers eyes!
or Altzheimer stare.

i dont think we can tell if your dad is staring from those photos - i wouldnt say his symptoms particually suggest dementia either, as he ages, he may forget things, but that may not be dementia

Eyes are Not such an issue. Alzheimer's eye? I have blurred vision but not sure if dementia related or just eye issues per eye Dr.

 

[LewyDementiaCarer]

I don't think you can really tell from pictures, as they are just a momentary snapshot in time. Honestly the thing with this disease is the crazy fluctuations. The PWD we care for tends to get dilated pupils & wide eyes just before a big hallucination or extreme delusional episodes which can be quite common, and at other times appears to have an almost frozen stare at random objects or things that aren't there, so we use this as an indicator, but for her it comes and goes, just like her lucidity, even in the late-end stage that we are now in, one hour can be different to the next.

 

[Roman223]

It's not the only thing I've noticed. He sits and taps the arms of his chair as if he's agitated about something. He seems to get irritated at the slightest thing, seems to sleep a lot, clears his throat constantly after eating, flares up with people for no reason and does things in an aggressive manner. He seems to be withdrawing from driving as it feels like I have to drive him about everywhere, problems with recently learnt information, has started repeating questions but with slightly different wording. All these things are making me and my cousin suspect that he has dementia or alzheimers but getting him to a doctor will be a problem because I know he will refuse to go.

Alister: My mum had this in the last year of her life. I called it the empty stare! As if she wasn't there. It was upsetting to watch her go down like that. But from your photos I cannot tell with your dad - I think try and get a GP appointment. Maybe tell him the GP requires him to fill in some forms with you being there! I would say try and book it soon. It will ease your worry.