Glaucoma/Alzheimer's

[marionq]

My husband has glaucoma and early stage Alzheimer's. his father and grandfather had the same. I understand that UCL is doing research into the link between these two and wondered if anyone else has been involved in this through the person they are caring for. I intend to contact University College London to see if there is anything they can tell me which might be useful to my children or grandchildren as both these problems seem to have a genetic element.

 

[lilysmybabypup]

Hi, my dad had glaucoma, and lost a great deal of vision, as well as having Alzheimer's, he was 86. The rest of his vision was ravaged by macular degeneration and cataracts.
Mum also has glaucoma, is 83 and no dementia. Her vision has not been affected. They both had treatment, using eye drops, and Mum's pressures were usually higher than Dad's but his damaged his optic nerve.
I've also read of theories about these links, and have glaucoma as well as hypertension, just like Dad had. I keep it under check but admit these cause me some concern.
Stephanie

 

[marionq]

Hi, my dad had glaucoma, and lost a great deal of vision, as well as having Alzheimer's, he was 86. The rest of his vision was ravaged by macular degeneration and cataracts.
Mum also has glaucoma, is 83 and no dementia. Her vision has not been affected. They both had treatment, using eye drops, and Mum's pressures were usually higher than Dad's but his damaged his optic nerve.
I've also read of theories about these links, and have glaucoma as well as hypertension, just like Dad had. I keep it under check but admit these cause me some concern.
Stephanie

Yes, it seems that lots of people can have one or other and an unlucky group get both. Your Dad has been very badly affected. if I find anything of use Stephanie I will pass it on. Look on the UCL website and you might get an idea of what they are researching.

 

[Saffie]

O please! What next will be linked with Alzheimer's?
So many threads here these days seem to be less about supporting what is and more about what if.
I have glaucoma in one eye. I don't, as far as I am aware, have dementia.
My husband has dementia . He doesn't, as far as I am aware, have glaucoma.
I know many people with glaucoma and many people with dementia.
I'm not aware of knowing anyone who has both though, of course, that doesn't mean there aren't those with both conditions. That happens in life.
I just wish that the people 'looking into the connections' would keep quiet until they know something definite.

p.s. i would have thought the link more probable with Vascular dementia rather than Alzheimer's due to the implication of high pressure in blood vessels.

 

[rajahh]

I think we are all trying to find some sort of link, and we all have our own theories.


I once jokingly said it could be bananas!!! This is purely because my mother, my sister in law and my husband have eaten a banana every day for their tea for years and years. They all developed Azheimers I cannot bring myself to eat a banana now!!!!

Then I read somewhere that bananas were good at preventing AD !!! Still don't eat bananas.

However back to the original post. My husband has AD and glaucoma but the glaucoma is under control with drops, or at least it was,. Don't know now as my husband will not allow the tests to be carried out anymore.

Jeannette

 

[Saffie]

Then I read somewhere that bananas were good at preventing AD !!! Still don't eat bananas.

Don't know about that either Jeanette - my husband has kidney disease and is not allowed to eat bananas as he has a high potassium level! It's a shame as he loves bananas and it's an easy thing to take into the nursing home for a diabetic.
I, on the other hand, don't particularly like bananas and keep having to have repeat blood tests becasuse my potassium level is too low which affects your heart apparanty.
You can't win whatever you do!

 

[marionq]

O please! What next will be linked with Alzheimer's?
So many threads here these days seem to be less about supporting what is and more about what if.
I have glaucoma in one eye. I don't, as far as I am aware, have dementia.
My husband has dementia . He doesn't, as far as I am aware, have glaucoma.
I know many people with glaucoma and many people with dementia.
I'm not aware of knowing anyone who has both though, of course, that doesn't mean there aren't those with both conditions. That happens in life.
I just wish that the people 'looking into the connections' would keep quiet until they know something definite.

p.s. i would have thought the link

more probable with Vascular dementia rather than Alzheimer's due to the implication of high pressure in blood vessels.

Well if you are interested in genetics then I would expect that you would be interested in research which might clarify a few things. Perhaps I am on the wrong website - sorry you are bugged by my post.

 

[Saffie]

Well if you are interested in genetics then I would expect that you would be interested in research which might clarify a few things. Perhaps I am on the wrong website - sorry you are bugged by my post.

I wasn't bugged by your post at all and I am interested in research when something definite is found but until then it is all supposition and does nothing to reassure people who are affected by the suggested links. Every week there is some suggested link with something or other given prominence in a newspaper - often to be disputed later, so until something concrete is produced, I'd rather wait and see. My choice I think.

Incidentally, not all glaucoma is genetic. Mine isn't. Nobody in my family has ever suffered from it, past or present. My mother had Alzheimer's and was dead before she was my age. No other relative has suffered from it. I may yet succumb of course but then so might many others with no family history of the disease. A genetic link is only one possibility.
I'm sorry you were offended by my response but there have been quite a number of alarm-inducing threads on TP and I have to confess I do find some of them distressing.