Cataract Surgery and Dementia

According to a study at Kaiser Permanente Washington, it has been proven that cataract surgery can lower dementia risk by a whopping 30%. The individuals who underwent this surgery had a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, dementia specifically, from any cause, compared to those who did not, for at least a decade after surgery.

The Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) study is long-standing, Seattle based observational study of more than 5,000 participants over 65 years.

Whilst this study did not look at any mechanisms of how cataract surgery lessened dementia risk, it was apparent to be believed that after this surgery, people may be getting higher quality sensory input which might have a beneficial effect in reducing the risk of dementia.

From JAMA Internal Medicine

Taken from mivision Issue 175 p. 18

References available at mivision.com.au