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Cataract Surgery and Life Expectancy


A recent study published in JAMA Ophthalmology has demonstrated in older women a correlation between having cataract surgery and a decrease in death rate from all causes.

The data comes from a prospective longitudinal study called the Women’s Health Initiative. This study involved women 65 years or older and collected data from Jan. 1, 1993, until Dec. 31, 2015.

In the study, there were 74,044 women who had been identified with a cataract and within that group 41,735 had undergone cataract surgery during the study time period.

The results showed that of those in the group who had cataract surgery, the mortality - or death - rate was 1.52 deaths per 100 person years. That means that in any given year if you took 100 women who had cataract surgery about 1.52 died in that year. The mortality rate in the women who did not have cataract surgery was 2.56 deaths per 100 person years. Those numbers mean that women who had cataract surgery were 40% LESS LIKELY to die in any given year than women who did not have surgery.

An important aspect of this study is that the authors accounted for several reasons that might have increased the death rate in the non-cataract surgery group. They adjusted for issues such as smoking, alcohol use, Body Mass Index (a measure of a degree of excess weight), and physical activity. Controlling for those factors means that the higher death rate in the women who did not have cataract surgery cannot be explained or blamed on them having a higher rate of smoking, alcohol use, being overweight or being less physically active.

Although the authors excluded any of those above factors for the mortality difference they did not have any specific reasons as to why this difference exists. There just may be some inherent reason why having better vision leads to a healthier existence and therefore a lower risk of death.

 

Why are these results important? They demonstrate that there may be an additional benefit to having cataract surgery besides the improved vision (which is enough of a benefit on its own) as it may also help you to live a longer more enjoyable life.

 

Article contributed by Dr. Brian Wnorowski, M.D.

This blog provides general information and discussion about eye health and related subjects. The words and other content provided on this blog, and in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. If the reader or any other person has a medical concern, he or she should consult with an appropriately licensed physician. The content of this blog cannot be reproduced or duplicated without the express written consent of Eye IQ.

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What can be expected during a contact lens fitting?

A patient can expect to have a different experience when having a contact lens fitting. In addition to the eyeglass exam, questions will be asked to determine which contact lens will work best for them. Will they want to leave the lenses in their eyes overnight or will they remove them every day? Will they wear them only occasionally or will they be for everyday use? Do they want a contact lens that they throw away every day or do they want a contact lens that they have to clean and disinfect? If the patient is over age 40 and has a compromised ability to see up close, how will they see up close with their contact lenses? Will they wear readers over their distant contacts, or will they wear multifocal contacts, or will they wear monovision?

Are some people more prone to having Dry Eyes than others?

Experiencing dry eye symptoms is more common as we grow older, particularly in people 50 years of age and older. Hormonal changes in women who are experiencing menopause or who are post-menopausal. Inflammation in our body can affect the tear gland's ability to produce tears. Eye or health conditions such as glaucoma, diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjogren's Syndrome can be associated with Dry Eyes. Environmental conditions such as dry winter air, dry indoor heated air, working on the computer, and wearing contact lenses can cause Dry Eyes.

Are there advantages to single-use contact lenses? What are they?

Single-use daily wear contacts are convenient to the patient and a healthy recommendation from their eye doctor. At the end of the day, the patient only has to dispose of the contacts. There is no need to take the contacts out to clean and disinfect them. The patients time and money spent on solutions and caring for them are eliminated. Not to mention that the next time they wear a contact, they will be wearing a brand new contact! The single best recommendation your eye doctor can make is to recommend single-use daily wear contacts. They are the healthiest contact that can be worn. The contact lens pathology issues of wearing the same contact for two or four weeks such as neovascularization, microcystic edema, and bacterial infections are greatly reduced.

What is an eye infection?

Your eyes can get infections from bacteria, fungi, or viruses. Eye infections can occur in different parts of the eye and can affect just one eye or both. Two common eye infections are conjunctivitis (also known as pink eye) and lid styes which are swollen lid bumps that can also be painful. Common signs of an eye infection are pain, itching, or a sensation of a foreign body in the eye, photosensitivity, redness or small red lines in the white of the eye, discharge of yellow pus that may be crusty upon awaking, and tears.

What happens during a typical Diabetic Eye Exam?

Your Eye Doctor will evaluate the back of your eye called the Retina to check for leaking blood vessels. Diabetic retinopathy occurs when elevated blood sugars damage the walls of the blood vessels. The vessel walls may thicken, leak, develop clots, close off, or grow balloon-like defects called microaneurysms.

My eyes tear all the time. Why do you call it Dry Eyes?

Your eyes have extra tears because your eyes produce extra tears to combat irritation and dryness. A better way to describe Dry Eyes is tear film instability, which refers to the composition of your tears not being in the proper composition. Stopping eyes from producing extra tears is a goal in the treatment of Dry Eyes.

At what age should my child have his/her eyes examined?

If you ask 10 different Doctors you will get 10 different answers. Newborns have their eyes checked in the birthing ward for starters. From birth to age 5 their eyes are growing. At age 5 is a good time to schedule a regular eye examination, however, if any unusual eye behavior is observed under age 5 an eye exam should be scheduled at that time. Unusual eye behavior such as eye squinting, a head tilt, or having to get close to see.