Seniors who have had cataract removal surgery are almost 30% less likely to suffer from a hip fracture than those who haven’t
According to a study carried out by researchers at Brown University in America, senior citizens who have experienced improved sight due to the removal of cataracts are less likely to fall and break a hip than those who haven’t.
Although this may seem like an intuitive connection, Dr Victoria Tseng who led the study claims that previous research has only focussed on the immediate improvement of sight, rather than the more long term benefits of regaining sight.
Surgery ‘parting’ the clouds
Cataracts are a clouding of the eye lens that develops and can get progressively worse with age. Surgery acts to ‘part’ these clouds to restore sight. This can significantly improve senior’s independence and quality of life, and prevent them from falling due to poor sight.
The study examined the results of over one million seniors who had received surgery to remove their cataracts. The results were surprising. Seniors with less severe cataracts experienced 16% less hip fractures in the first year after surgery, but the figure jumped up to an alarming 23% for those who had more severe cataracts.
Hip fractures are very serious in senior citizens and can severely affect independence and quality of life. According to The Canadian Public Health Agency, 40% of senior falls result in a hip fracture, and 1 in 5 of will die from the injury within a year.
The benefits of cataract removal surgery speak for themselves. As well as preventing falls and subsequent hip fractures, cataract removal surgery can also help to prevent motor accidents and improve the mental health of seniors.
