My wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer's 18 months ago (although the family suspected that something was wrong some time prior to that). she has regular sight tests and the optometrist has said that she cannot improve her vision and that her spatial awareness problems are caused by her Alzheimer's condition. She has very poor vision and has difficulty eating meals because of it. Has anyone else had experience of this?
Sight problems
- Thread starter mickyg1000
- Start date
hi @mickyg1000
definitely - my dad's eyesight has always been poor, the chunkiness of his glasses' lenses is testament to that - now he clearly has difficulty processing what he sees and co-ordinating his movements - so reaching out for objects is tricky, sometimes impossible, and I hve to put food in his hand for him or feed him - and at times he appears to be 'looking into space' as he just isn't focussing - in fact sometimes he says he can't see yet will comment on something in the room, so his perception s skewed - if I want his attention I have to tell him to look at me and give him time to settle on my face
definitely - my dad's eyesight has always been poor, the chunkiness of his glasses' lenses is testament to that - now he clearly has difficulty processing what he sees and co-ordinating his movements - so reaching out for objects is tricky, sometimes impossible, and I hve to put food in his hand for him or feed him - and at times he appears to be 'looking into space' as he just isn't focussing - in fact sometimes he says he can't see yet will comment on something in the room, so his perception s skewed - if I want his attention I have to tell him to look at me and give him time to settle on my face
Yes, the problem comes when the part of the brain that interprets what is being seen becomes damaged by the Alzheimers. The eyes may be working fine and the signals are getting to the brain correctly, but the brain cant work it out.
She may think that things are nearer or further away than they really are; a trickle of water appears to be a torrent and a small ledge looks like an impossible cliff; it may be impossible to locate the position of things; black things appear as a hole and white things seem to disappear; writing appears scrambled; sometimes things that had been previously looked at (like a clock) may appear superimposed on the next thing looked at; there may be difficulty identifying people/things by sight.
Do as shedrech suggests and make sure she is looking at you directly when you talk to her.
She may think that things are nearer or further away than they really are; a trickle of water appears to be a torrent and a small ledge looks like an impossible cliff; it may be impossible to locate the position of things; black things appear as a hole and white things seem to disappear; writing appears scrambled; sometimes things that had been previously looked at (like a clock) may appear superimposed on the next thing looked at; there may be difficulty identifying people/things by sight.
Do as shedrech suggests and make sure she is looking at you directly when you talk to her.
Hello @mickyg1000, if you want to read up on this, there is as AS Factsheet that includes comments on sight issues that may interest you and it can be found by following this link https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/sites...perception_and_hallucinations_in_dementia.pdf
Hello, @mickyg1000, and yes, my mother (likely Alzheimer's, now later stage) has had a lot of vision and spatial and related issues with her dementia.
Earlier on this presented as problems with navigation and driving. I also noticed that she wasn't able at times to "see" things, and this would come and go. She lost the ability to "see" things on a mobile or computer screen, for instance, but could still see her television. She would also misinterpret what she was seeing (although some of that may have also been language issues; it can be hard to tell).
None of this was helped by her long standing vision problems, and now, her macular degeneration which is interfering with her sight.
The eye doctor and the neurologist both recommended improving the lighting in her room, which has helped somewhat. Some like the full spectrum light bulbs. Frankly, with my mother, it's often a struggle to get her to turn on the lights, or leave them on. You can only do so much!
Reducing glare and reflections and patterns may also help, as May considering contrast and color. Red seems to be a color that is more easily perceptible.
I'm sorry I haven't better advice and best wishes.
Earlier on this presented as problems with navigation and driving. I also noticed that she wasn't able at times to "see" things, and this would come and go. She lost the ability to "see" things on a mobile or computer screen, for instance, but could still see her television. She would also misinterpret what she was seeing (although some of that may have also been language issues; it can be hard to tell).
None of this was helped by her long standing vision problems, and now, her macular degeneration which is interfering with her sight.
The eye doctor and the neurologist both recommended improving the lighting in her room, which has helped somewhat. Some like the full spectrum light bulbs. Frankly, with my mother, it's often a struggle to get her to turn on the lights, or leave them on. You can only do so much!
Reducing glare and reflections and patterns may also help, as May considering contrast and color. Red seems to be a color that is more easily perceptible.
I'm sorry I haven't better advice and best wishes.
Many thanks for the comments, I have tried using black plates for light coloured meals and white plates for dark coloured meals. Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. She also says she has difficulty with certain colours.
Does anyone have a blue badge that was issued because of Alzheimers or spatial awareness problems? If so what do I need to do to obtain one? I have looked at the eligibility criteria and severe sight impairment is mentioned but my wife has not been been diagnosed as having that. Any suggestions on how I could get a blue badge for her?
I got a blue badge for my Mum. She can’t walk unaided purely because she cannot judge steps etc. Sometimes she is fairly steady but on some days she can hardly put one foot in front of another. It has been such a help having the badge and has definitely encouraged me to take her out more often which is good for both of us!
Yes my husband cannot make out things.can't find his way out of the room. Have to cut up food and out fork. in his hsnd.it is like dealing with a blind person.
I would also like to know how to deal with this. Any ideas would be welcome.. He Doesn't like to be touched. I think it scares him because he cannot see.
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