What do hip fractures and cataract surgery have in common? Quite a lot actually. According to “Risk of Fractures Following Cataract Surgery in Medicare Beneficiaries,” a 2012 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the risk of falls and subsequent hip fractures was greatly reduced in patients 65 and older who had undergone cataract surgery.
“Older people who have eye surgery to remove cataracts and improve their vision also significantly reduce their risk of breaking a hip in a fall, […] those in their early 80s experiencing nearly 30 percent fewer hip fractures in the first year […],” explained The New York Times author Roni Caryn Rabin.
The study retroactively compared incidences of hip fracture among 410,809 cataract surgery patients between 2002 and 2009 against incidences among those who did not have surgery. Those patients who had cataracts removed sustained 16% fewer hip fractures in the year after surgery. Older patients – 80 to 84 years of age – experienced the greatest benefit: 28% fewer hip fractures.
“[…] patients who had cataract surgery had lower odds of hip fracture within one year after surgery compared with patients who had not undergone cataract surgery,” explained the study’s authors, Victoria L. Tseng, MD; Fei Yu, PhD; Flora Lum, MD; and Anne L. Coleman, MD, PhD. “Our study suggests that people should never be regarded as ‘too old’ to have their cataracts removed.”
Cataract Surgery in Annapolis
Located in Annapolis, Maryland, the Anne Arundel Eye Center (AAEC) is a regional leader in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma and cataracts. A consultation with Dr. Samuel Boles, an experienced and knowledgeable board certified Ophthalmologist, will help guide you through your decision and determine if cataract surgery is the right decision for you.
Dr. Boles and the eye care specialists at AAEC have helped restore and preserve thousands of patients’ vision. They can help you too!
If you have any questions about Cataract Surgery or wish to schedule an appointment with Anne Arundel Eye Center, please Dr. Boles, Dr. Kathryn Gurganus Turner, and the eye care specialists here at AAEC by calling 410-224-2010 or Clicking Here. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube as well!
For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.
Sources:
New Research on Hip Fractures and Cataract Surgery, VisionAware.org