Dementia education and training for optometrists, combined with resources encouraging patients to declare their diagnosis before eye tests, could help break down barriers to accessing dementia-friendly eye care, according to research published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Lead author Dr Marianne Coleman, from the National Centre for Healthy Ageing (NCHA), a partnership between Monash University and Peninsula Health, conducted the research while at the University of Melbourne.
“The research found that good eyesight matters to people living with dementia in all kinds of ways. However, keeping up with regular eye tests and following eye care advice at home, like putting in eye drops, can be difficult,” Dr Coleman said.
“This is especially the case if the eye test or eye care advice isn’t adapted to accommodate people’s unique needs associated with dementia; from cognitive fatigue and communication difficulties, to anxiety, agitation, or other changed behaviours.”
Improving The Eye Test Experience
Poor eyesight makes living with dementia harder and increases the risk of falling. However, some people with dementia are less likely to see their optometrist regularly. To help people with dementia see as well as possible, the researchers aimed to find out how to improve the eye test experience, thereby supporting patients’ wellbeing and independence.
Their research suggests many ways to improve testing and give eye care advice to accommodate aspects of dementia, which can vary from person to person. However, it’s much harder for optometrists to do this if they don’t know much about dementia, or don’t know a person has dementia until after the eye test has begun.
“We found in our study that optometrists need and want to know more about dementia, and people with dementia and their families may benefit from resources that enable them to let the optometrist know about a dementia diagnosis,” Dr Coleman said.
“It would also be helpful if they could declare any support needs that may arise during the eye test, such as needing to have someone with them, or a longer appointment.”
Resources Now Available
As a consequence of the research, new accessible resources have been developed that aim to make it easier for people with dementia and their families to access dementia-friendly eye care. The resources are also featured on the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Dementia Observatory Knowledge Exchange Platform.
People with dementia can use the resources to tell their optometrist about their dementia diagnosis and any support needs they may have during the eye test.
Natalie Ive, a Dementia advocate who guided this research, said: “Vision is a key priority for everyone, but it holds even greater significance for those of us living with dementia, as poor vision can significantly impact our quality of life and ability to maintain our independence, perform daily tasks and navigate the world around us.”
As well as resources, as a result of this research, people can now search online to find a dementia-friendly optometrist at over 300 practices across Australia. Optometrists can also complete training about dementia-friendly eye care created from the research, empowering them to best support people living with dementia.
Information about eye care for people living with dementia can be found here.
A tip sheet for eye care professionals can be found here.
Reference
Piano M, Nguyen B, McKendrick AM, et al. Breaking down barriers to accessing dementia-friendly eyecare. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. 2025;0(0). doi:10.1177/13872877251395222
