The Unique Vision Problems with Dementia and How to Help

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The Unique Vision Problems with Dementia and How to Help

The process of vision is truly fascinating. In a split second, our brains can receive and process information from our surroundings, along with the input from our other senses, memories, and thoughts.  This allows us to form a percentage of what we see, making us more aware of our visual surroundings.  It is amazing how our brains enable us to see the world around us.


Dementia can cause various vision problems that are unique to this condition. These vision problems can affect different aspects of our visual perception. 

  • Depth and /or color perception
  • Contrast
  • Motion detection
  • Peripheral vision

In addition to a distorted sense of reality, seniors with dementia often experience illusions. For example, they may mistake a shadow on the ground for something harmless like a family pet, and may believe it to be an intruder. This can be challenging for our caregivers or family members. Other vision problems associated with dementia include.

  • Misinterpreting reflections in glass or mirrors for another individual. This can lead to distress in thinking somebody else is there, or believing that a restroom mirror reflection means that the washroom is already occupied with another person.
  • Thinking that images on television are real and taking place within the room.
  • Difficulty with sitting in a chair or on the toilet, being afraid of a fall.
  • Stress in overstimulating environments that cause confusion.
  • Reaching for things that aren’t there, or missing the mark when trying to pick an item up.
  • Issues with self-feeding and drinking.

Below are a few techniques to help:

  • keeping sufficient lighting throughout the whole house, and by removing any specific items that may cause anxiety or visual confusion if at all possible.
  • By using contracting colors anytime you can, such as serving tomato soup in a white bowl, or an egg on a blue plate. Whenever possible, carry this concept through to the home furnishings, with darker furniture on a lighter carpet or having different paint colors on the trim vs the walls.
  • By closing the blinds and or curtains in the evenings and anything the sun can cause a glare.
  • Make use of adaptive tools, such as remote controls and phones with large buttons, to provide our seniors with sufficient opportunities for independence.
  • By making sure your loved one has ongoing access to eye care, and notify the ophthalmologist of the dementia diagnosis.

Our professional Windsor-Essex senior care team can help implement these tips and more to lessen the effects of vision problems. Contact us online at amyshelpinghands.ca or give us a call at 519-915-4370 to find out more.



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