Scientists discover new risk factor for dementia

Dementia is a serious disease that destroys thousands of families every year. Statistics show that one in three people born today will develop dementia during their lifetime.

Researchers are also studying ways to prevent it and steps people can take to reduce their risk of developing it.

According to one study, one of the main things people can do to combat dementia is to treat poor vision.

According to a review published in the journal Ageing and Mental Health, people who do not treat poor vision have an increased risk of developing dementia.

Other risk factors include:

- Aging

- Genes

- Gender 

- Cognitive reserve

- Ethnicity

- Health conditions and diseases

- Lifestyle factors

- Social isolation

- Low level of education

- Exposure to air pollution.

Meanwhile, there are a number of things people can do to preserve their eyesight.

These include quitting smoking, living an active lifestyle, eating a balanced diet, protecting your eyes from the sun, and getting regular eye exams.

If you use a screen regularly, the 20-20-20 rule is highly recommended.

It consists of taking a break from the screen every 20 minutes and looking at something 20 feet (just over 6 meters - ed.) away for 20 seconds.

Although these measures can help preserve your vision, they cannot take away the pain if you are diagnosed with dementia.

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