Alzheimer's disease: A review for the ophthalmologist

Alzheimer's disease is the most prevalent dementia. Definitive diagnosis is made only at autopsy, although "probable" diagnoses are made using clinica l criteria. Patients with Alzheimer's disease demonstrate severe deficits i n memory with cortical features of language difficulty and visuomotor spati al deficits. They also may present with psychotic symptoms of delusions and hallucinations, and personality and behavioral changes. Advancing age, gen erics, and environmental risk factors are important in the development of A lzheimer's disease. Visual abnormalities have been described in Alzheimer's disease and may be related to the development of visual hallucinations. Al though palliative treatments exist for the cognitive loss and behavioral sy mptoms, future treatments will focus on both delay of onset and slowing of progression of the disease. Continued research is needed to further underst and this devastating disorder, which may in turn lead to more successful tr eatments. (Surv Ophthalmol 45:516-524, 2001. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved).