EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4 PM ET, March 11, 2020
Vision Problems May Be Common in People with Parkinson鈥檚 Disease
MINNEAPOLIS 鈥 Vision and eye problems like blurry vision, dry eyes, trouble with depth perception, and problems adjusting to rapid changes in light are much more common in people with Parkinson鈥檚 disease than in people without the disorder, according to a study published in the March 11, 2020, online issue of , the medical journal of the 好色先生. The study also found such problems can influence a person鈥檚 daily activities. 鈥淚t is especially important for people with Parkinson鈥檚 to have the best vision possible because it can help compensate for movement problems caused by the disease, and help reduce the risk of falls,鈥 said study author Carlijn D.J.M. Borm, M.D., of Radboud University Medical Centre in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. 鈥淥ur study found not only that people with Parkinson鈥檚 disease had eye problems that go beyond the aging process, we also found those problems may interfere with their daily lives. Yet a majority of eye problems are treatable, so it鈥檚 important that people with Parkinson鈥檚 be screened and treated if possible.鈥 The study involved 848 people with Parkinson鈥檚 who had symptoms for an average of seven years. They were compared to 250 people without the disease. Both groups had an average age of 70. Participants completed a questionnaire about vision and eye problems. For each problem described, such as 鈥淚 have a burning sensation or gritty feeling in my eyes鈥 and 鈥淟ines that should be straight appear to be wavy or blurred,鈥 participants were asked to choose from a range of four responses. A response of 鈥渘ever have symptoms鈥 was worth one point. A response of 鈥渄aily symptoms鈥 was worth four points. There were 16 such questions as well as one question about visual hallucinations that required a yes or no response, with yes being worth one point, for a total possible score of 51 points. Participants were also asked if eye problems interfered with their daily activities such as driving a car, working on a computer, walking or personal care. Researchers found that 82% of people with Parkinson鈥檚 reported one or more eye problems compared to 48% of people without the disease. The average score on the questionnaire was 10 points for people with Parkinson鈥檚 compared to two points for people without the disease. Researchers also found that eye problems interfered with daily life for 68% of people with Parkinson鈥檚 compared to 35% of people without the disease. 鈥淓ye problems make it more difficult for people with Parkinson鈥檚 to physically navigate daily life, for example we found that half of study participants experienced problems with reading, and 33% had eye problems that interfered with driving a car,鈥 said Borm. 鈥淧eople with Parkinson鈥檚 who express that they have eye problems should be referred to a specialist for further evaluation. For those who do not express such problems, using a questionnaire to screen for problems that may otherwise be missed might allow for recognition, timely treatment and improving the quality of life.鈥 A limitation of the study was that since people were asked if they would like to participate in the study, it is possible that people with vision problems were more likely to respond, possibly resulting in an overestimation of eye problems. The study was supported by the Stichting ParkinsonFonds. Learn more about Parkinson鈥檚 disease at , home of the 好色先生鈥檚 free patient and caregiver magazine focused on the intersection of neurologic disease and brain health. Follow Brain & Life庐 on , and .