TL;DR
Turn quiet afternoons into listening time
- Thousands of audiobooks, podcasts and originals
- Listen on your phone, tablet or Echo — also offline
- Cancel anytime
A Being Patient report describes posterior cortical atrophy (PCA), a dementia syndrome that can first disrupt how the brain processes visual and spatial information rather than cause an eye problem. The report follows Andrew Reid’s delayed diagnosis and outlines diagnostic challenges, available care, and limits in evidence for treatments specifically for PCA.
A Being Patient report describes how posterior cortical atrophy (PCA), a dementia syndrome that often affects visual and spatial processing, can begin with problems reading, navigating or judging distance despite no primary problem with the eyes. The report follows Andrew Reid, who received a PCA diagnosis at age 56 after symptoms persisted through an earlier epilepsy diagnosis, highlighting how the condition can be difficult to recognize.
PCA affects parts of the brain involved in interpreting visual information and orienting the body in space. According to the report, symptoms can include difficulty reading, sensitivity to bright light, trouble recognizing objects or faces, misplacing items and problems judging distances. These changes may affect driving and everyday activities such as getting dressed or sitting down safely; they do not necessarily begin as a disorder of the eyes themselves.
The report says Alzheimer’s disease is the underlying cause in about 80 percent of people with PCA. Other reported causes include dementia with Lewy bodies and prion disease. As the syndrome progresses, it can also affect memory, language, speech and executive function. There is currently no cure for PCA, and treatment decisions depend in part on the underlying cause.
Reid’s wife, Karina, told Being Patient that eating had become harder because he could lose track of the image of a fork. The report says clinicians may use eye examinations to rule out eye conditions, alongside blood tests, cognitive assessments and brain imaging. Tests including Alzheimer’s biomarkers may help identify the cause. The report describes these as components of an evaluation, not a single definitive screening procedure.
Why Vision-Led Symptoms Matter
Recognizing PCA can help explain why a person has difficulty with tasks that depend on visual processing even when eye examinations do not account for the problem. A diagnosis may shape safety decisions, including whether driving remains appropriate, and help families understand changing needs around mobility, dressing and eating.
The report also points to a gap between PCA-related needs and services often organized around more familiar dementia symptoms, such as memory loss. Keir Yong, a University College London researcher quoted by Being Patient, said people with PCA may retain insight and memory while facing disabling difficulties moving around or caring for themselves. This can affect how support is planned and how cognitive assessments are interpreted.
Products Worth Considering
LEVOIT Vital 200S-P Smart Air Purifier for Large Rooms
Bowflex PR1000 Home Gym
Coway Airmega 250 Air Purifier for Large Rooms
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How PCA Can Be Missed
The report gives an average age of symptom onset of about 59 and says that atypical symptoms can contribute to delays in diagnosis. Reid first struggled to see his keyboard and write emails. After a close call while driving, he went to an emergency department and was diagnosed with epilepsy. The report says symptoms remained unresolved after a year of treatment before he reached a brain clinic and received a PCA diagnosis.
Reid also visited an optometrist three times, according to the report. Yong said diagnostic delays are not unusual, and that an eye finding such as a cataract can sometimes be assumed to explain visual symptoms. Yong is working with the UK Biobank on an optometrist screening test that the report says is being validated in eye and neurology clinics. The source does not report results from that validation.
Diagnosis and Treatment Gaps
The report does not specify how long Reid’s symptoms lasted in total or provide details of his full clinical assessment. It also does not give evidence that the proposed optometrist screening test has been validated or is ready for routine use; Yong said validation is under way. Because PCA can have different underlying causes, the appropriate treatment may differ from person to person.
Some people with PCA may receive medicines developed for Alzheimer’s or other conditions, depending on the cause, but the report says evidence of their effectiveness specifically for PCA is limited. It also reports that a 2026 study found many people with atypical Alzheimer’s, including PCA, may not qualify for certain Alzheimer’s drugs, often because tests heavily weight visual and spatial skills. The supplied material gives no study title, methods or figures, so the finding cannot be assessed in further detail here.
Screening Research and Support
Yong’s screening test is being evaluated across eye and neurology clinics, according to Being Patient. The report does not provide a timeline for results or say when a test might become available. Further research would be needed to establish how well it identifies PCA and how it should be used alongside neurological assessment.
For now, the report describes evaluation as involving checks for eye and other medical causes, cognitive testing and brain imaging, with biomarker tests potentially helping identify Alzheimer’s. It also points to a need for support that addresses the specific practical effects of PCA. The source material ends while discussing physical and occupational therapy, so it does not provide a complete account of recommended rehabilitation or services.
Key Questions
What is posterior cortical atrophy?
Posterior cortical atrophy is a syndrome in which damage to parts of the brain involved in visual and spatial processing causes increasing difficulty interpreting what a person sees and navigating their surroundings.
Does PCA mean a person has an eye disease?
Not necessarily. The report describes PCA symptoms as arising from the brain’s processing of visual information, rather than necessarily from the eyes. Eye examinations can help rule out other causes of vision problems.
What causes PCA?
The Being Patient report says Alzheimer’s disease is the underlying cause in about 80 percent of cases. It also names dementia with Lewy bodies, prion disease and other neurodegenerative conditions as possible causes.
How is PCA diagnosed?
Evaluation may include a detailed eye examination, blood tests, cognitive testing and brain imaging. Tests for Alzheimer’s biomarkers may help determine the underlying cause. The report does not describe one test that diagnoses every case.
Is there a cure or a treatment specifically for PCA?
The report says there is no cure and that evidence for medicines specifically in PCA is limited. A clinician may consider treatments based on the condition causing the syndrome and the individual’s circumstances.
Source: beingpatient.com
