Cataract surgery can reduce hip fracture risk in the elderly
7th August 2012
By Staff writer
Researchers examined data on 1.1 million Americans aged 65 years and older diagnosed with cataract during a seven-year period, in the largest study of visual impairment due to cataract and its association with fracture.
Drawing on US Medicare data, they found that among patients with cataract, 36.9% had it surgically treated.
Having the procedure was associated with a 16% decrease in the odds of hip fracture one year later, the study found.
And patients with severe cataract had an even greater likelihood of benefit with a 23%