When it comes to our vision, the process is quite complicated. It’s a multi-tier system that allows us to see and perceive simultaneously. And yes, there is a difference between those two things. When we see something, it’s merely an electrical impulse being sent to the brain. However, in order to perceive it, the brain has to take those electrical impulses and make sense of the raw data. Seeing only requires our eyes taking in light. Perceiving something requires our brains to be fully functioning and making sense of what our eyes pick up.

As we age, it’s normal for our vision to decrease. Some older adults require the use of glasses even though they did not need them for the majority of their life. It just helps them see things more clearly. On the other hand, losing our ability to perceive things should not be a normal part of aging. Unfortunately, for those living with dementia, this is the case. Below are some signs of vision problems when dealing with normal aging issues versus perceptual problems when aging with dementia.

Normal Aging

Much like any other part of our body, as we get older our eyes begin to wear down. Our vision is reduced when compared to what it was when we were younger. And that’s okay. As stated, it’s a normal part of aging. You may experience reduced sharpness. All this means is that things become a little blurry. Reading road signs or even a book when it’s right in front of your face may become a little difficult. However, a pair of prescription glasses or contact lenses can easily fix this problem.

Another normal sign of aging deals with change in light. You may need some extra time to adjust to changes in light levels. For example, when going from a dark room into sunlight, you may become temporarily sensitive to the light. This is because your pupils expand and contract when dealing with these different levels of light. They contract when there are high levels of light to take in less and expand when there are low levels of light to take in more. Their reaction time tends to be reduced, as you get older. As a result, your pupils are fully dilated when moving from low levels of light to high levels of light. And they’re fully contracted when moving from high levels of light to an area of low levels of light. This can cause vision problems, but it’s only temporary as your pupils eventually adjust accordingly.

Aging with Dementia

On top of the potential vision problems that occur when adults age, someone with dementia may also have perceptual difficulties. This means that the information picked up by the eyes and transported to the brain does not get interpreted correctly. For instance, people with dementia may have trouble detecting movement. As a result, they may be unaware to the fact that you left or entered the room. They may even have a reduced ability to detect different colors. It has nothing to do with color blindness, but when they see one color, the brain interprets it as another.

Another major problem for a person with dementia is recognition of objects and faces. Again, they can see what’s right in front of them. Their ability to see may not be affected that much through normal aging deficiencies. It’s just when they see something that should be familiar, the neurons that transport that information to the right parts of the brain are blocked. As a result, if a person with dementia is looking to eat something specific or say hi to a familiar loved one, the right name of something or someone may not come right away. It can be disheartening when a loved one cannot remember your name. But just know that the memories you shared with this person are still with them. Their ability to access them is just a little bit blocked.

Understanding the Differences

By understanding the differences between vision and perception and aging versus aging with dementia, it may help you interact with a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or some form of dementia. It requires a lot of patience. However, you must understand how frustrating it is for them, too. It’s tough to imagine at every instance of the day that you have the name of someone or something on the tip of your tongue, but you’re unable to access it. Be sensitive to this matter and offer suggestions whenever you can.