Cataract Surgery Doesn't Worsen AMD
THURSDAY, Feb. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Cataract surgery doesn't hasten vision loss in people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
That's the conclusion of a new study that challenges the findings of several large epidemiological studies that suggested a link between cataract surgery and accelerated AMD progression.
AMD and cataracts are leading causes of vision impairment in the United States. Both are related to aging and share other risk factors. AMD affects the retina and leads to loss of central vision. Cataract is cloudiness in the eye's lens that interferes with clear vision.
For the new study, Dr. Emily Y. Chew, of the U.S. National Eye Institute, and colleagues analyzed data from 4,577 participants (8,050 eyes), ages 55 to 81, who took part in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS). The researchers compared the risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration in people who had surgery to remove cataracts and in those who didn't have the surgery.
Chew and her team found little evidence that cataract surgery influences AMD progression. The study was published in the February issue of the journal Ophthalmology.
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This is great for people with AMD. Our clinic treats a lot of people with AMD and this comes up from time to time during their Cataract Surgery consultation.
I would agree with Dr. Chew that the newer study is more reliable because lenses have changed like crazy over the past few years. I am no doc though :)