Cataract Surgery Can Reduce Hip Fractures

A new study has confirmed that that the risk of hip fractures was significantly reduced in patients who had cataract surgery, compared to patients who did not undergo the procedure, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (San Francisco), which collaborated on the study with the Jules Stein Eye Institute (Los Angeles).

According to AAO, the medical records of about 400,000 Medicare beneficiaries who had cataract surgery were analyzed for hip fractures that occurred within 1 year of cataract surgery. This data was then compared to hip fracture incidence in a matched group of patients who had cataracts, but did not have cataract surgery. Cataract surgery was associated with a 16% decrease in patients’ adjusted odds of suffering a hip fracture within 1 year of the procedure.

Overall, the greatest decrease in hip fracture risk was seen in patients aged 80 to 84 who had cataract surgery, and for those with severe cataracts the risk was reduced by 23%. Although U.S. health statistics show that women are more susceptible to hip fractures than men, this study found no significant gender-linked differences in fracture risk, AAO said.