The Relationship Between Cognitive Status and Known Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Recent literature has reported a higher occurrence of cognitive impairment among individuals with Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) compared to older adults with normal vision. This pilot study explored potential links between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in AMD and cognitive status. Individuals with AMD ( = 21) and controls ( = 18) were genotyped for the SNPs CFHY402H, ARMS2A69S and FADS1 rs174547.

Ophthalmologic Baseline Characteristics and 2-Year Ophthalmologic Safety Profile of Pramipexole IR Compared with Ropinirole IR in Patients with Early Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) progressively affects dopaminergic neurotransmission and may affect retinal dopaminergic functions and structures. This 2-year randomized, open-label, parallel-group, flexible-dose study, NCT00144300, evaluated ophthalmologic safety profiles of immediate-release (IR) pramipexole and ropinirole in patients with early idiopathic PD with ≤6 months' prior dopamine agonist exposure and without preexisting major eye disorders. Patients received labeled IR regimens of pramipexole ( = 121) or ropinirole ( = 125) for 2 years.

Psychosocial adaptations to dual sensory loss in middle and late adulthood.

Concurrent losses of hearing and vision function, or dual sensory loss, affect a large number of individuals of all ages and particularly older adults. Dual sensory loss may present at any age as a result of genetic defect, accident, injury, disease, or environmental insult; however, most persons develop this condition as a result of age-related disease processes that rarely result in total deafness or blindness. This condition has wide-ranging implications for physical and psychological functioning and quality of life.

Letter case and text legibility in normal and low vision.

It is thought by cognitive scientists and typographers alike, that lower-case text is more legible than upper-case. Yet lower-case letters are, on average, smaller in height and width than upper-case characters, which suggests an upper-case advantage. Using a single unaltered font and all upper-, all lower-, and mixed-case text, we assessed size thresholds for words and random strings, and reading speeds for text with normal and visually impaired participants.

The impact of assistive device use on disability and depression among older adults with age-related vision impairments.

Objective: One can conceptualize adaptive technology as a resource used by disabled older adults in order to maintain competence in everyday life. This study examined the independent relationships between optical and adaptive device utilization and change in functional disability and depression among older adults with age-related vision impairments.

Methods: We interviewed older adults (n = 438) with a recent vision impairment applying for vision rehabilitation services both pre-service and at the 6-month follow-up.

The effect of rehabilitation service use on coping patterns over time among older adults with age-related vision loss.

Objective: To enhance our understanding of coping and rehabilitation in the context of adaptation to disability by examining how coping may change over a two-year time period, and how different vision rehabilitation services may affect coping over time.

Design: Longitudinal two-wave study (baseline and two-year follow-up).

Setting: Vision rehabilitation agency.

Perceived overprotection: support gone bad?

Objective: This article focuses on the effects of perceived overprotection, a potentially problematic aspect of receiving support, on the ability to adjust to a chronic impairment, specifically, age-related vision loss. Perceived overprotection is an especially critical issue in this population of chronically ill older adults because of the safety issues associated with vision impairment and because perceptions on the part of the older adult that the support providers are overprotective may lead to excess disability.

Methods: Participants were 584 older men and women with age-related vision impairment who applied for services at a vision rehabilitation agency.

Optimizing rehabilitation for adults with visual impairment: attention to life goals and their links to well-being.

Objective: To examine the importance of different life goals among working-age adults with vision impairment, the extent to which vision impairment interfered with goals, and how rehabilitation addressed these life goals.

Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study.

Setting: Vision rehabilitation agency.

The effect of rehabilitation on depression among visually disabled older adults.

There has been a great deal of interest in identifying the impact of rehabilitation on psychological well-being, as well as functional ability, among elders with disabilities, but empirical data remain limited. This descriptive study of participants in vision rehabilitation service examines the effect of specific vision rehabilitation services (low vision clinical services, skills training, counseling, optical device use, and adaptive device use) on change in depression among a sample of older adults with age-related vision impairments. Participants (N = 95) were interviewed at application for services and then approximately two years later.

Predicting components of closed road driving performance from vision tests.

Purpose: Mild cataracts can interfere with visually dependent everyday activities, although they only minimally affect static visual acuity. This study compared the effects of simulated cataracts with that of optical blur on driving performance and determined the extent to which acuity could account for variations in driving performance either alone or in combination with supplementary vision tests.

Methods: Closed road driving performance was measured in 24 young, normally sighted subjects under five binocular acuity levels, four produced by different levels of optical blur (6/4.

Serifs and font legibility.

Using lower-case fonts varying only in serif size (0%, 5%, and 10% cap height), we assessed legibility using size thresholds and reading speed. Five percentage serif fonts were slightly more legible than sans serif, but the average inter-letter spacing increase that serifs themselves impose, predicts greater enhancement than we observed. RSVP and continuous reading speeds showed no effect of serifs.

Lapse resistance in the verbal letter reporting task.

Lapses, or misreporting errors, can affect accuracy of threshold measurements. Assumptions about lapse rate, especially in untrained observers, have consequently guided the design of at least one clinical psychophysical test. Lapse rate was assessed using a verbal letter identification paradigm like that used in visual acuity and letter contrast sensitivity testing.

Dual sensory loss and its impact on everyday competence.

Purpose: This study examined the relation of dual and single sensory impairments, within the context of cognitive function, by using the framework of everyday competence in terms of the probability of difficulty with specific personal and instrumental activities of daily living (ADLs and IADLs, respectively).

Design And Methods: The Longitudinal Study on Aging, composed of individuals aged 70 and older in 1984 (N = 5,151), provided data for the present analyses. In each IADL and ADL domain, binary logistic regressions assessed the probability of difficulty associated with sensory impairment and cognitive status after sociodemographic and physical health covariates were controlled for.

Improving the design of the letter contrast sensitivity test.

Purpose: To develop a small-format letter contrast sensitivity test with improved accuracy, suitable for portable use and near testing, and having a simple and unambiguous scoring system that can be used with reference to existing norms.

Methods: A near test, printed on resin-coated paper and mounted on plastic was developed by using Sloan letters, with 0.04 log unit contrast decrements between each letter and a simple scoring procedure.

Major and subthreshold depression among older adults seeking vision rehabilitation services.

Objective: Authors examined the potential risk factors of major and subthreshold depression among elderly persons seeking rehabilitation for age-related vision impairment.

Methods: Participants (N=584), age 65 and older, with a recent vision loss, were new applicants for rehabilitation services. Subthreshold depression was defined as a depressive syndrome not meeting criteria for a current major depression (i.

Positive aspects of caregiving and adaptation to bereavement.

This study examined how positive aspects of caregiving affect adaptation to bereavement among older adults who cared for a family member with dementia. The sample consisted of 217 caregivers who were part of the Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health Study. Using pre- and postloss data, hierarchical regressions were carried out to examine the effects of positive aspects of caregiving (caregiving benefit) on postloss depression and grief.

Congruence between disabled elders and their primary caregivers.

Purpose: This study examines the extent and independent correlates of congruence between disabled elders and their caregivers on several aspects of the caregiving experience.

Design And Methods: Participants were 117 visually impaired elders and their caregivers. Correlational analyses, kappa statistics, and paired t tests were used to examine the extent of congruence.

Adaptation to disability among middle-aged and older adults: the role of assimilative and accommodative coping.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the links among coping, disability, and mental health among adults who are confronted with age-related vision loss. Drawing on the model of assimilative and accommodative coping (e.g.

Predicting individual change in support over time among chronically impaired older adults.

Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine the degree of individual change in friendship and family networks and support over time as a function of sociodemographic characteristics, rehabilitation use, and disability. Participants, 449 older adults, had age-related vision loss, a common, chronic impairment that tends to worsen over time. Three interviews were conducted (baseline and 6- and 18-month follow-ups).

Giving while in need: support provided by disabled older adults.

Objectives: This paper focuses on predictors and patterns of support provision over time among disabled older adults. The ability to provide support to others may become an especially critical issue for persons who are dealing with a progressive, chronic impairment that typically results in increased functional disability and thus places them in greater need for support.

Methods: This multilevel analysis examined change in support provision over time, as well as the degree to which sociodemographics, health, functional disability, use of rehabilitation services, and the receipt of support predicted support provision.

The influence of health, social support quality and rehabilitation on depression among disabled elders.

This study examined the influence of health, social support, disability, and vision rehabilitation services on depression among visually impaired older adults seeking vision rehabilitation services. Participants (n = 95) were interviewed at application and approximately two years later. The first hierarchical regression model focused on concurrent relationships at baseline.

To have and have not: adaptive bereavement by transforming mental ties to the deceased.

Over the past decade, there has been a paradigm shift in the field of bereavement: From the traditional view that insists on the necessity of disengagement, toward a position that postulates the need for a continuing connection. The authors propose to move beyond the dichotomy that was created by the two paradigms and conceive of it as a process of transformation that involves both disengagement and connection. Drawing on theoretical frameworks of control and adaptation, the authors suggest that the relationship with the deceased may be transformed to mental representations of this person that carry substitute value.

The effect of pixel nonlinearity on cathode-ray tube-based visual acuity tests.

Background: Pixel nonlinearity of a cathode-ray tube (CRT) display can cause differences between the actual image and the nominal image. One of the discrepancies, the anisotropy of interactions between neighboring pixels on the same raster line and between neighboring raster lines, may have an impact on the CRT-based visual acuity test where small horizontal and vertical gaps are used. We evaluated this impact.

Is it contagious? Affect similarity among spouses.

Theories of emotional contagion suggest that spouses mutually experience affective or emotional states. However, empirical support for this theory is limited. Using a dyadic approach, this study examines affect similarity of depressive symptoms between elders with vision impairment and their spouses.

Can the amplitude difference spectrum peak frequency explain the foveal crowding effect?

Hess et al. (Vision Res. 40 (2000) 365) found that the peak frequency of the amplitude difference spectrum (ADS) of a Landolt C/flanking bar configuration was higher than that of an isolated C.