Severe head injuries and sight and hearing loss may increase the risk of dementia. So, it’s important to protect your eyes, ears and head, all of which could lower your risk of dementia.
Find out more about the links between these things and dementia at alzheimers.org.
Head injuries
Although physical activity is an important way to reduce dementia risk, some contact sports such as football, rugby and American football have been associated with dementia due to their role in increasing the risk of head injuries. The Alzheimer's Society's orecommended approaches include ensuring coaches and referees are aware of the protocol for someone who sustains a head injury and potentially reducing the amount of head contact (e.g. through ‘heading’ the ball in football). The use of scrum caps in rugby do not prevent against concussion or mild traumatic brain injury.
Headgear / wearing a helmet is also a valuable way to prevent head injury, for example while riding a bike, working on a building site, or riding a horse.
Vision loss
Uncorrected vision loss can increase a person’s risk of developing dementia. Regular eye tests and ensuring you get the correct prescription of glasses may lower the risk of dementia.
If you have diabetes, you may be at risk of developing an eye condition called diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy (an eye condition linked to diabetes that can affect your sight) can cause sight loss if it's not treated and is known to increase the risk of developing dementia. Above the age of 12 you will be offered regular diabetic eye screening (nhs.uk), which checks for signs of diabetic retinopathy, often before you notice any changes in your sight. We recommend you attend this screening when it’s offered.
Find out more about the link between vison loss and dementia here at alzheimers.org.
Hearing loss
There are some steps we can take to prevent hearing loss. RNID's tps for listening to music and attending live music safely include not playing music too loudly, taking regular breaks and staying away from speakers in music venues. If you work in a job that is noisy such as construction, manufacturing or some hospitality venues – ensure you are using hearing protection.
If you think you may have hearing loss, you can find out about symptoms and next steps (nhs.uk). We recommend having a hearing test or seeing your GP if you think you may have hearing loss, as the use of hearing aids has been shown to reduce the risk of dementia to the level of a person with normal hearing.