Seeing the Mind: Associations Between Distance and Near Vision Impairment and Cognitive Performance Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Visual impairment (VI) and cognitive impairment (CI) are growing public health challenges among older adults, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like India. This study examined the association between objectively measured near and distance VI and cognitive performance using data from 27,521 individuals aged 60 and above from the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI) Wave I (2017–18). Cognitive function was assessed across five domains, and vision was evaluated using standardized visual acuity tests. Survey-weighted linear regression analyses revealed a significant, independent, and dose-response association between both near and distance VI and lower cognitive scores across all domains. These associations remained robust after adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related factors. The findings highlight the potential of addressing vision impairment as a modifiable risk factor to mitigate cognitive decline and dementia among India’s aging population.