Cataract Surgery Reduces Risk of Dementia by 30%

According to a study in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers have examined the relationship between cataract surgery and an individual’s risk of developing dementia.

The data used for the study involved more than 3000 people aged 65 or older who were free from dementia at the outset of a longitudinal study. Data used in the analyses was collected from 1994 through September 2018.

Researchers found that participants who underwent cataract removal surgery had nearly 30% lower risk of developing dementia compared with those without surgery, even after controlling for numerous additional demographic and health risks.

The authors have emphasised that further studies are necessary studying the mechanisms that result in cataract extraction affecting dementia risk.