Could cataract surgery bring brain benefits?

Researchers say there may be a link between dementia risk and delaying cataract surgery (a procedure to remove and replace the clouded lens of the eye). A study published online Dec. 6, 2021, by JAMA Internal Medicine found that people who underwent this vision-correcting surgery had a lower risk of developing dementia than those who had cataracts but did not have surgery. This was the case even after controlling for other risk factors.

The researchers used data from the Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) study, which enrolls adults ages 65 and older who do not have dementia. ACT began in 1994 and follows participants over time to see who develops dementia. For this analysis, the researchers included ACT study participants who were diagnosed with cataracts while still dementia-free. The researchers also included a comparison group with another eye condition, glaucoma, which damages the optic nerve.

The researchers speculated that the reduction in dementia risk seen following cataract surgery might be related to improvements in vision. Glaucoma surgery, which helps preserve vision but does not improve visual acuity, was not significantly associated with dementia risk. However, this observational study only shows a link between having cataract surgery and a lower dementia risk and it doesn't prove that having cataract surgery slows cognitive decline.

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