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Effect of Cataract Surgery on Falls and Mobility in Independently Living Older Adults
Author(s) -
McGwin Gerald,
Gewant Hilary D.,
Modjarrad Kayvon,
Hall Tyler Andrew,
Owsley Cynthia
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2006.00770.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cataract surgery , confidence interval , balance (ability) , fear of falling , activities of daily living , falling (accident) , poison control , injury prevention , physical therapy , gerontology , ophthalmology , emergency medicine , psychiatry
OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of cataract surgery on the occurrence of falls and mobility and balance problems in older adults with cataract. DESIGN: Longitudinal follow‐up study. SETTING: Clinical Research Unit, University of Alabama at Birmingham. PARTICIPANTS: Persons aged 55 and older with a cataract were recruited from 12 eye clinics in Alabama from October 1994 through March 1996. Participants were classified into two groups: those who had cataract surgery (surgery group, n=122) and those who had not (no‐surgery group, n=92). MEASUREMENTS: At baseline and 1‐year follow‐up visits, information on the occurrence of falls and mobility and balance problems was collected based on subjects' recall of events during the prior 12 months. RESULTS: After adjusting for demographic, behavioral, medical, and visual characteristics, there was no difference between the two groups in the likelihood of falling (risk ratio (RR)=0.96, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.64–1.42) or in having mobility (RR=0.81, 95% CI=0.55–1.18) or balance difficulties (RR=0.71, 95% CI=0.37–1.39). CONCLUSION: Cataract surgery had no association with the occurrence of falls or mobility or balance problems in independently living older adults with a cataract.