By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    An Expert’s Guide To Building and Improving Endurance
    June 30, 2022
    medical assistants
    What Do Medical Assistants Do On a Day to Day Basis?
    April 5, 2022
    superfoods to help with prostate health
    10 Healthy Foods That Can Help Protect Your Prostate
    August 29, 2022
    Latest News
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    August 3, 2025
    Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
    July 20, 2025
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    healthcare cost crisis
    What If the Health Care Cost Crisis Solves Itself?
    May 11, 2013
    Do You Need Life Insurance? What Does It Cover?
    December 23, 2022
    HIE metal plans
    The Four “Metal Plans” of Health Insurance Exchanges
    May 28, 2013
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Fix the Eye and Save the Hip?
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Specialties > Geriatrics > Fix the Eye and Save the Hip?
GeriatricsNews

Fix the Eye and Save the Hip?

psalber
psalber
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

 

 

There is a very interesting study in the August 1, 2012 issue of JAMA titled “Risk of Fractures Following Cataract Surgery in Medicare Beneficiaries.”  It has been known that visual changes related to cataracts are associated with postural instability.  Postural instability, in turn, is related to falls.  Falls in older folks, particularly if they have osteoporosis, can result in hip fractures.  And, hip fractures are a cause of morbidity and mortality in elders.

Victoria Tseng, MD and her colleagues decided to study whether removing cataracts would result in a reduced risk of hip fractures in Medicare beneficiaries. The researchers used the 5% random sample of Medicare beneficiaries from 2002 to 2010 to answer the question.

More Read

Wyden/Ryan Medicare Plan is a Loser
Angelina Jolie: Cancer Prevention to the Max
Breast Density Notification Bill on its Way to State Assembly
15 Hospitals with Great Blogs
Artificial Intelligence a “Low Priority” for Healthcare Organizations in 2018

There were two groups of patients identified:

1)  Those with both a diagnosis code (ICD-9) for cataract and a procedural (CPT) code for cataract surgery

2.  Those with a diagnosis of cataract, but no claims evidence of cataract procedure during the study period

Claims were reviewed for hip fracture codes (both surgical and non-surgical) occurring during the year before and after date of surgery or in the case of the group without surgery, during the year after the diagnosis of cataract.

1,113,640 unique patients with a diagnosis code of cataract (366.xx) were found in the random sample.  Most were women (60%) and most were white (88%).  410,809 (37%) had cataract surgery during the study period.  The cataract surgery group was older than the cataract diagnosis group.  And, the prevalence of severe cataracts was significantly higher in the group that had surgery (no surprise here).

Cataract

The incidence of hip fracture during the study period was low, 1.3%, but still that represented 13,976 individuals.  After adjusting for demographics and comorbidities, the study showed lower odds of hip fratures in the cataract surgery group compared with the cataract diagnosis group – results were particularly good in the 80-84 year old age group.  The difference in absolute risk was 16% (0.20% vs. 0.24%).  The numbers needed to treat (e.g., have cataract surgery) to prevent a hip fracture was 507.

Because the study was retrospective, observational, and used administrative data, the findings are suggestive, but not conclusive.  Thus, the authors state that “cataract surgery may be associated with lower odds of subsequent fracture in patients aged 65 and older in the US Medicare population.”  And, of course, they suggest that prospective studies be done to better determine the “potential benefit of cataract surgery” in the elderly.

If the results hold up, this is an important finding.  Cataract surgery has improved remarkably over the years and is now quite safe and usually delivers excellent outcomes.    Prevention of hip fracture, a traumatic event with signficant morbidity and mortality is a worthwhile goal.

 

TAGGED:cataractship fractures
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

technology in medical research
The Tools Helping Medical Researchers See the Full Picture
News Technology
August 3, 2025
5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
Health
July 31, 2025
holistic dental
Holistic Dentist Services Are Natural and Safe
Dental health Specialties
July 28, 2025
botox certification
Help Improve People’s Skin Health Via Botox Certification
Skin Specialties
July 22, 2025

You Might also Like

News

Weekly Dose of Top 5 Healthcare Stories You Might’ve Missed

December 14, 2015
Global HealthcareHealth careHealth ReformHospital AdministrationMedical EducationMedical EthicsMedical RecordsNewsPolicy & LawPublic HealthUncategorized

8 Of The Most Bizarre Medical Malpractice Cases Out There

December 11, 2018
Aesthetic Procedures
Health

Aesthetic Procedures 101: What To Know Before Your First Treatment

July 26, 2023

New Study Details Decreased Medication Adherence in Medicaid Populations

July 26, 2012
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?