10. Visual Disturbances: Seeing the World Differently with CAA
Visual disturbances represent another potential symptom of CAA. This can include difficulties with visual perception, such as problems recognizing objects or faces, or more physical symptoms like blurry vision or visual field loss. This occurs when amyloid-beta proteins accumulate in the blood vessels that nourish the visual areas of the brain, impairing their function.
These visual disturbances can significantly impact a person’s daily activities, from reading and driving to recognizing faces or navigating new environments. Initially, these issues might be subtle.
A person might find themselves needing to squint to read small print or having trouble recognizing a familiar face from a distance. They might also struggle with depth perception, which can make tasks like driving or even pouring a glass of water challenging. (10)
