Cognitive Decline and Visual Functioning among Older Adults with Vision Impairment: Descriptive Correlational Study

Background: Vision impairment has been increasingly recognized as a contributing factor to cognitive decline in older adults. Aim: This study is attempted to assess the relation of cognitive decline and visual function among older adults. Research design: Descriptive research design. Setting: The study was conducted at Ophthalmology inpatient department at Al-azhar Assiut University hospital Sample: purposive sample of 320 older adults. Tools: Three tools were used: Tool (I): included three parts: (1): Personal data, (2): Medical history, (3): ophthalmic history. Tool (II): National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25. Tool (III): The short portable mental status questionnaire. Results: It revealed that 79.1% from older adult's participant aged between 65 to 74 years, more than half 55.3% of older adults have cataract disease and 44.7% of studied older adults have mild cognitive impairment. Statistically significant relation of mental status and visual function except with dependency and driving among older adults. Conclusion: The study concluded a significant correlation between limited cognition and visual impairment in the older adult's population. Recommendation: Further future research should do to explore the potential of integrating routine vision screenings into cognitive health assessments for older adults.