Effect of Cataract Surgery on Risk of Falls - Fractures in Medicare Beneficiaries With Cataracts

Q: What public health concern does the study focus on?

The study targets falls and fractures as a significant public health concern linked to visual impairment in older adults.

Q: How were participants with cataracts selected and compared?

Participants with an ICD-10 cataract diagnosis in 2019 were identified; cataract surgery in 2020 defined the surgical group, while non-surgical individuals were used as controls with a random pseudo-index date.

Q: What was the main finding about cataract surgery and one-year fall/fracture risk?

Cataract surgery did not significantly impact the one-year risk of having falls or fractures among Medicare beneficiaries with cataracts.

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by 4398046744996

Cataract surgery is evaluated as an intervention for preventing falls and fractures among Medicare beneficiaries with cataracts. Using 2019–2021 nationally representative claims data, the study identifies patients with an ICD-10 cataract diagnosis and compares those receiving surgery in 2020 with non-surgical controls assigned a pseudo-index date. Propensity score weighting standardizes demographics, frailty, comorbidities, eye diseases, and socioeconomic factors. Propensity score weighted linear regression estimates one-year fall/fracture risk, showing no statistically significant reduction. Sensitivity analyses support the findings.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Study purpose and background

Data source and cohort definition

Methods: propensity score weighting and modeling

Results and sensitivity analyses

Implications and future research

474 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 SESSION 4065 (PAPER) Abstract citation ID: igaf122.1619 EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF SENSORY IMPAIRMENT In this session the association of sensory impairment, vision, hearing and olfaction are discussed including impact on caregiving, falls, cognition and cost. Abstract citation ID: igaf122.1620 EFFECT OF CATARACT SURGERY ON RISK OF FALLS OR FRACTURES IN MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES WITH CATARACTS Atalie Thompson1, Lindsey Abdelfattah1, Emilie Duchesneau1, Amol Joshi2, and Amresh Hanchate1, 1. Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States, 2. Wake Forest University School of Business, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States Falls and fractures are a significant public health concern linked to visual impairment. Cataracts are the most common cause of visual impairment in older adults, and can be corrected with cataract surgery. We evaluated whether cataract surgery reduces the one-year risk of falls/fractures in Medicare beneficiaries. Using 2019-2021 claims data from a nationally representative cohort of 1 million Medicare fee-for-service enrollees (65+ years), we identified those with an ICD-10 diagnosis of cataract in 2019. Cataract surgery in 2020 was identified using procedure codes and participants were followed for one year from the surgery date; individuals with cataracts who did not receive surgery were included as controls and assigned a random pseudo-index date. We used propensity score weighting to standardize covariates (demographics, frailty, comorbidities, eye diseases, socioeconomic indicators) among controls (N=240,164) to resemble those with cataract surgery (N =16,957). We applied a propensity score weighted linear regression model to estimate the impact of surgery on 1-year risk of falls/fractures. Without surgery, the estimated likelihood of falls/fractures was 8.92%((95% CI:8 .64-9.21%), p < 0.001) . The estimated effect of surgery was a reduction by -0.32 percentage points ((95% CI: 1.22-0.59), p = 0.494) . Sensitivity analyses treating death as a competing risk, adjusting for prior falls/fractures, and evaluating number of falls/fractures yielded similar results. Thus, cataract surgery did not significantly impact the one-year risk of having falls/fractures in Medicare beneficiaries. Future studies should evaluate fall risk over a longer follow-up period or the impact of surgery on self-reported falls not captured by the healthcare system.

FAQs

What public health concern does the study focus on?

The study targets falls and fractures as a significant public health concern linked to visual impairment in older adults.

How were participants with cataracts selected and compared?

Participants with an ICD-10 cataract diagnosis in 2019 were identified; cataract surgery in 2020 defined the surgical group, while non-surgical individuals were used as controls with a random pseudo-index date.

What was the main finding about cataract surgery and one-year fall/fracture risk?

Cataract surgery did not significantly impact the one-year risk of having falls or fractures among Medicare beneficiaries with cataracts.

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by 4398046744996