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Got Cataracts? Something New to Worry About!
There are two very common vision problems in older adults, cataracts (clouding of the lens) and Age-Related Macular Degeneration (damage to the retina in the back of the eye). Other than their chronological association, is there any chance that these two are somehow related?
A newly-published clinical research study out of Australia claims that ARMD occurs more frequently in eyes that have undergone cataract surgery. Ophthalmologists studied a large group of patients aged 60 and older. Their eye findings were tracked for many years before and after cataract surgery. The doctors kept track of how many eyes developed ARMD, when it first appeared and if it progressed.
Compared to eyes that did not receive cataract surgery, postop eyes were nearly 50% more likely to develop ARMD within 3 years of their surgery (15.2% vs. 10.3%). Statisticians standardized the patient data to two large age-matched control groups. That means the results are supposed to be believable.
The researchers do not offer an explanation for their intriguing findings. Given that there is no other treatment option for cataract, seniors may find themselves in a difficult spot if this data is corroborated by others.
This type of study is not new. There are several older published reports that link cataract surgery with heart attack and even shorter lifespans compared to folks who do not have the operation.
Mark Twain once wrote something clever about statistics...
A newly-published clinical research study out of Australia claims that ARMD occurs more frequently in eyes that have undergone cataract surgery. Ophthalmologists studied a large group of patients aged 60 and older. Their eye findings were tracked for many years before and after cataract surgery. The doctors kept track of how many eyes developed ARMD, when it first appeared and if it progressed.
Compared to eyes that did not receive cataract surgery, postop eyes were nearly 50% more likely to develop ARMD within 3 years of their surgery (15.2% vs. 10.3%). Statisticians standardized the patient data to two large age-matched control groups. That means the results are supposed to be believable.
The researchers do not offer an explanation for their intriguing findings. Given that there is no other treatment option for cataract, seniors may find themselves in a difficult spot if this data is corroborated by others.
This type of study is not new. There are several older published reports that link cataract surgery with heart attack and even shorter lifespans compared to folks who do not have the operation.
Mark Twain once wrote something clever about statistics...
