February 2018 issue AAO EyeNet Magazine
Recent study results indicate that Cataract surgery may lower the mortality risk associated with systemic illnesses. Cataract surgery has been shown to correlate with lower risk of all-cause mortality but this study by Tseng et al., aimed to determine the relationship between cataract surgery and total and cause-specific mortality in older women.
The study included nationwide data of the Women’s Health Initiative from July 2014-September 2017 for women 65 years and older. Of the 74,044 women with cataracts (mean age, 70.5 years), 41,735 underwent cataract surgery. Models showed a link between cataract surgery and reduced all-cause mortality and between cataract surgery and mortality related to cancer, vascular, accidental, neurologic, pulmonary and infectious diseases. Patients who underwent the surgery had a much lower mortality rate, despite their overall sicker systemic profile. Whether a patient receives cataract surgery depends on demographic, socioeconomic and other factors, which warrant further exploration.
Further study of the relationship between cataract surgery, systemic disease and disease-related mortality may improve patient care and overall health outcomes.