How vision loss can affect memory, mobility and mental health as we age

5 min readJul 1, 2026 03:00 PM IST

Research over the past decade has consistently found that older adults with vision impairment experience significantly higher rates of depression and anxiety than those with normal sight. (File Photo)

It began with small compromises. A 72-year-old woman stopped going alone to the neighbourhood market because she could no longer make out uneven pavements. She gradually gave up reading the newspaper, then attending evening bhajans because recognising familiar faces had become difficult. Her family noticed she was becoming forgetful, withdrawn and increasingly dependent on others. They assumed it was simply old age. The real culprit, however, was something far more treatable: deteriorating eyesight.

Doctors say stories like hers are playing out in millions of homes. Vision impairment is often dismissed as an inevitable consequence of ageing. But a growing body of research suggests that poor eyesight affects far more than a person’s ability to see. It can set off a cascade of health problems, increasing the risk of falls and fractures, depression, social isolation, cognitive decline, loss of independence and even premature death.

The connection is not difficult to understand. Older adults with impaired vision are more likely to restrict their movements, avoid social interactions and struggle with everyday activities such as managing medicines, cooking, shopping or navigating unfamiliar surroundings. Reduced mobility can lead to frailty, while loneliness and the loss of independence are well-established contributors to poorer mental health and declining cognitive function.

Research over the past decade has consistently found that older adults with vision impairment experience significantly higher rates of depression and anxiety than those with normal sight. Several studies have also linked poor vision to a greater risk of falls — one of the leading causes of injury, disability and hospitalisation among the elderly. In 2020, the Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care identified untreated vision impairment as one of the potentially modifiable risk factors associated with dementia, highlighting the role that eye health could play in preserving brain health.

Against this backdrop, researchers at the LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), Hyderabad, have launched what is believed to be India’s first large-scale longitudinal study examining how vision impairment shapes the experience of ageing.

The Longitudinal Eye Health, Ageing and Disability Study (LEADS), spanning Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, is investigating how vision loss affects the physical, mental and social well-being of older adults, and whether relatively simple interventions such as cataract surgery and corrective spectacles can improve broader health outcomes.

“Vision impairment is more than just difficulty in seeing. It affects social, physical and mental health, as well as overall well-being,” said Dr Srinivas Marmamula, DBT-Wellcome Trust Clinical and Public Health Intermediate Fellow at the LV Prasad Eye Institute. “Importantly, more than 80 per cent of vision impairment can be addressed through cost-effective interventions, which are expected to have a positive impact on overall health and well-being,” he added.

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Preliminary estimates from the study suggest that more than 40 per cent of older adults are living with some form of vision impairment. The study protocol and baseline findings were published in BMJ Public Health in June.

Researchers say the significance of the study extends well beyond eye care. India is ageing rapidly, with the number of people aged 60 years and above expected to more than double in the coming decades. Understanding whether preventing or treating vision loss can help older adults remain physically active, socially connected and independent could have important implications for healthcare planning and healthy ageing policies.

“The findings could provide crucial evidence to address the challenges posed by India’s rapidly ageing population,” said Dr Marmamula, one of the world’s leading optometry researchers.

The study is also expected to generate evidence on whether interventions such as cataract surgery and spectacle correction can improve cognition, reduce depressive symptoms, lower the risk of falls and enhance quality of life. If confirmed, researchers say, it would strengthen the case for viewing vision care not merely as an eye health service but as a cornerstone of healthy ageing.

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Early findings already underline the scale of the challenge. Cataract remains one of the leading causes of vision loss among older adults. Yet many people continue to experience poor vision even after surgery because they do not receive appropriate follow-up eye examinations or updated spectacles.

For researchers, the larger question is simple but profound: can preserving sight also help preserve memory, mobility and independence? As India’s elderly population grows, the answer could reshape not only eye care but the country’s broader approach to ageing itself.

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Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues .

Professional Background

Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature.

Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO.

Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives.

Awards and Recognition

Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.”

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Tags:

ageing

cataract

cognitive skills

Dementia