Besides restoring good vision, cataract surgeries can also reduce the risk of falls and fractures and life-threatening brain bleeds from falls in older adults. It is already known that cataract surgery can reduce the risk of hip fractures, a major cause of mortality and morbidity in older adults.
For the study presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, researchers wanted to see if less traumatic falls causing fractures like a broken wrist can also increase the risk of death in older adults. They used a national database of more than two million patients diagnosed with age-related cataracts.
They were divided into two groups: those who had cataract surgery within 10 years of being diagnosed and those who did not. Risk factors such as osteoporosis, diabetes, low vision, blindness and retinal disorders were similar between the two groups.
People who had cataract surgery were 5 per cent to 11 per cent less likely to fall and experience fragility fractures of the wrist, arm or ankle. People who had cataract surgery were also 12 per cent less likely to experience a traumatic subdural haemorrhage and 24 per cent less likely to experience an epidural haemorrhage, as a result of falls, compared with people who did not get the surgery.
“We hope to shed light on the potential broader benefits of cataract surgery in reducing trauma-related morbidity and mortality and empower patients to make informed choices about their care," the study said.
