hip fractures

The Link between Cataract Surgery and Hip Fractures

October 23, 2014 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

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

Cataract Surgery, Hip Fractures, and your Annapolis Eye Doctor

March 22, 2013 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

As we age, our eyes undergo natural wear and tear, resulting in the clouding of the eye’s natural lens. This clouding is known as cataracts. Cataracts develop when proteins in the eye’s lens form abnormal clumps that gradually get larger, distorting vision. To treat cataracts, cataract surgery is used to remove the damaged lens and replace it with a new crystal clear lens to remove any clouding.

According to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, cataract surgery has an unexpected benefit. We know that cataract surgery helps restore clear vision, but what else can cataract surgery do? According to the study Risk of Fractures Following Cataract Surgery in Medicare Beneficiaries, cataract surgery could also help reduce the risk of breaking a hip, something that plagues 350,000 Americans annually.

Visual impairment is a known risk factor for fractures. So naturally, cataract surgery should help reduce the risk of hip fractures, right? Well, lead investigator Dr. Anne L. Coleman of Brown University certainly believes so.

“Seeing helps you navigate a new environment and helps with balance,” said Coleman. “You really need your eyes and vision to help you stay stable.”

Coleman and her colleagues analyzed the effect of cataract surgery on the frequency of hip fractures. Of the more than 1 million Americans over the age of 65 who had cataracts, 1.3% suffered hip fractures. However, the frequency of hip fractures in those individuals who underwent cataract surgery was 16% lower. By statistical analysis, the reduction in risk was even greater, coming in at 23%.

Anne Arundel Eye Center & Dr. Samuel Boles, your Annapolis Eye Doctor

The Anne Arundel Eye Center is a regional leader in the diagnosis and treatment of both glaucoma and cataracts. We provide complete medical eye exams as well as diagnostic surgical eye care. Should you require surgery, your comfort and wellbeing are our top priority, from pre-op testing to post-op care. When you come to the Anne Arundel Eye Center, you can be assured you’re in expert hands.

Board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles has helped restore and preserve thousands of patients’ vision.

To learn more about the Cataract Surgery, please contact Dr. Boles, consultative optometrists Dr. Nathan Frank and Dr. Corinne Casey, and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010 or click here to visit AnneArundelEyeCenter.com. Staffed by caring and knowledgeable professionals, our state-of-the-art treatment center is dedicated to making the best eye care accessible to everyone.

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

You can also follow Anne Arundel Eye Center on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube as well!

Source:

Cataract Removal linked to fewer Hip Fractures Harvard Health Publications

Eye Care News: Cataracts and Hip Fractures; are they Linked?

August 31, 2012 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

A recent study found that people who had undergone cataract surgery had a 16% lower risk of hip fracture one year after the procedure.

Falls and the resulting bone fractures are a major cause of disability and death among the elderly. Every year in the United, 350,000 people experience a hip fracture. And by the year 2050, this number is expected to be as high as 650,000 hip fractures annually. That is nearly 1,800 hip fractures a day.

Hip Fracture Statistics

Fall-related injuries cost the United States more than $10 billion in healthcare costs in 2000 alone.

90% of all hip fractures in the United States are the result of a fall.

The cost of hip fracture care averages $26,912 per patient.

Only 25% of hip fracture patients make a full recovery.

40% of hip fracture patients require nursing home care.

50% of hip fracture patients need a cane or walker.

24% of hip fracture patients over the age of 50 pass away within 12 months of the injury.

Cataract Surgery & the Prevention of Hip Fractures

A new study suggests that cataract surgery could reduce the possibility of hip fractures in the elderly by as much as 23%. This makes sense considering vision impairment is one of the major risk factors for falls among the elderly.

“Cataract surgery has already been demonstrated to be a cost-effective intervention for visual improvement,” wrote researcher Victoria Tseng, MD, of Brown University, and colleagues in the Journal of the American Medical Association. “The results in this study suggest the need for further investigation of the additional potential benefit of cataract surgery as a cost-effective intervention to decrease the incidence of fractures in the elderly.”

Researchers studied the risk of hip fracture for one year among the more than 1 million Medicare patients age 65 and older who had been diagnosed with cataracts between 2002 and 2009. And of these individuals, 36.9% had cataract surgery during the study period.

13,976 people (1.3%) had a hip fracture during the study.

Researchers found that people who had undergone cataract surgery had a 16% lower risk of hip fracture one year after the procedure.

“In patients with severe cataract, the association between cataract surgery and lower odds of hip fracture was even stronger, with a 23% reduction in the adjusted odds of hip fracture in the cataract surgery group compared with the cataract diagnosis group,” wrote researchers.

What are Cataracts?

As we age, our eyes undergo natural wear and tear, resulting in the clouding of the eye’s natural lens. This clouding is known as cataracts. This is a normal part of the aging process. If we live long enough, we will all develop cataracts at some point in our lives.

“I like to compare it to the clear plastic window in the back of a convertible car,” said board certified ophthalmologist Samuel Boles, M.D. “After years of exposure to sun and weather, the plastic becomes yellow and cloudy.”

Anne Arundel Eye Center: Cataracts Treatment in Annapolis, Maryland

A regional leader in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma and cataracts, Anne Arundel Eye Center offers a wide range of advanced procedures to improve and preserve your vision. Anne Arundel Eye Center provides complete medical eye exams as well as diagnostic surgical eye care. Should you require surgery, your comfort and wellbeing are our top priority. From pre-op testing to post-op care, you can be assured you’re in expert hands.

To learn more about Cataracts, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles, consultative optometrist Dr. Nathan Frank, and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010 or click here to visit AnneArundelEyeCenter.com.

Located in Annapolis, Maryland, the Anne Arundel Eye Center offers comprehensive specialized ophthalmic exams as well as diagnostic pre and post-surgical eye care. Specializing in glaucoma and cataracts, Dr. Boles has helped restore and preserve thousands of patients’ vision. Vision problems may be a natural part of aging. Losing your vision doesn’t have to be.

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

You can also follow Anne Arundel Eye Center on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube as well!

Sources:

Cataract Surgery May Help Prevent Hip Fractures

Falls and Hip Fractures