OBJECTIVE: To develop a screening test to help ophthalmologists detect visually symptomatic patients with as yet undiagnosed Alzheimer's disease. DESIGN: Administration of a battery of tests consisting of items modified from existing psychometric materials to decrease examination time and increase ease of scoring. PARTICIPANTS: Fourteen patients with Alzheimer's disease and prominent visual symptoms; 53 control subjects matched to the patients with Alzheimer's disease for age, sex, and educational level; and 22 patients with subnormal visual acuity or visual fields who did not have Alzheimer's disease. RESULTS: The novel battery of tests distinguished all 14 visually symptomatic patients with Alzheimer's disease from patients without Alzheimer's disease and control subjects. CONCLUSION: This battery of tests should enhance the ophthalmologic detection of Alzheimer's disease.
OBJECTIVE: To develop a screening test to help ophthalmologists detect visually symptomatic patients with as yet undiagnosed Alzheimer's disease. DESIGN: Administration of a battery of tests consisting of items modified from existing psychometric materials to decrease examination time and increase ease of scoring. PARTICIPANTS: Fourteen patients with Alzheimer's disease and prominent visual symptoms; 53 control subjects matched to the patients with Alzheimer's disease for age, sex, and educational level; and 22 patients with subnormal visual acuity or visual fields who did not have Alzheimer's disease. RESULTS: The novel battery of tests distinguished all 14 visually symptomatic patients with Alzheimer's disease from patients without Alzheimer's disease and control subjects. CONCLUSION: This battery of tests should enhance the ophthalmologic detection of Alzheimer's disease.