Associations Between Self-Reported Visual Difficulty, Age of Onset, and Cognitive Function Trajectories Among Chinese Older Adults

Abstract

Objectives: This study examined the association between self-reported visual difficulty and age-related cognitive declines among older Chinese adults and how the timing of visual difficulty onset plays a role in cognitive trajectories. Methods: Data were drawn from the 2011–2018 wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, involving 9974 respondents aged 60 years or older (mean age 65.44 years, range 60–101 years). Results: At baseline, 14.16% respondents had self-reported visual difficulty. Growth curve models showed that Chinese older adults with visual difficulty experienced a faster decline in cognitive function compared to those without visual difficulty ( β = −0.02, p < .01). Older adults who began experiencing visual difficulty between 61 and 75 years of age had steeper cognitive declines compared to those with earlier or later onset ( β = −0.05, p < .01). Discussion: Older adults with self-reported visual difficulty experience faster rates of cognitive decline. Future research should explore potential factors that underlie the association between onset timing of visual difficulty and cognitive function.