Vision decline linked with greater coronary event risk in older adults

In a prospective study of 6,906 adults aged 50 or older, poorer self-reported vision and worsening vision during follow-up were associated with a higher subsequent risk of coronary heart disease. Participants with vision impairment at the study’s baseline had a 40% higher risk of an incident coronary event, while those whose vision deteriorated between two assessment waves had a 55% higher subsequent risk. These findings describe an association, not proof that vision loss causes coronary disease.

Researchers used data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing collected between 2004 and 2023. The analysis examined baseline self-reported vision and changes in vision between Waves 2 and 3 in relation to incident coronary heart disease. During a median follow-up of 12 years, the study identified 502 coronary events among the 6,906 participants. The long observation period allowed investigators to compare participants’ initial and changing vision status with coronary events occurring later.

The statistical results showed a graded relationship between measured vision and risk. Compared with participants without baseline vision impairment, those classified as impaired had a hazard ratio of 1.40 for coronary heart disease, with a 95% confidence interval of 1.08–1.80. A deterioration in vision between the two assessment waves was associated with a hazard ratio of 1.55, with a 95% confidence interval of 1.12–2.15. Each one-point increase in mean vision score corresponded to a 21% lower estimated risk, represented by a hazard ratio of 0.79 and a 95% confidence interval of 0.69–0.90. Because the cohort study relied on self-reported vision and observational data, factors other than vision could contribute to the observed relationships.

The researchers also conducted exploratory mediation analyses to determine whether depressive symptoms statistically explained part of the link between baseline vision impairment and coronary events. The results suggested that depressive symptoms accounted for only a modest proportion of the baseline vision impairment–coronary heart disease association. This does not mean that depression itself was established as a cause of coronary events, nor does it rule out psychological or other shared factors. The finding instead indicates that changes in mood alone were unlikely to account for the full relationship observed between poorer vision and later cardiovascular risk.

Overall, the study suggests that worsening perceived vision may be a marker of broader vulnerability in later life. A person reporting reduced sight or experiencing a decline in vision may be more likely to face subsequent cardiovascular risk than a peer with better and stable vision, although the analysis cannot establish the mechanism or show that improving vision would prevent coronary disease. The research was published as an accepted, open-access article in Scientific Reports and is subject to further edits before the final version of record.

Subject of Research: Associations of self-reported vision impairment and decline with incident coronary heart disease in older adults

Article Title: Vision impairment, depressive symptoms, and risk of incident coronary events: a prospective cohort study

Article References: Liu, Y., Ling, J., Sun, G., Yu, F., & Zhu, J. (2026). Vision impairment, depressive symptoms, and risk of incident coronary events: a prospective cohort study. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-75981-4

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-75981-4

Keywords: vision impairment, coronary heart disease, older adults, depressive symptoms, prospective cohort, cardiovascular risk, English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, vision decline, statistical mediation, Vision, impairment, depressive