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Can Cataract Surgery Slow Dementia Symptoms?

A new study has found a link between cataract surgery and an
improvement in the symptoms of dementia patients.  For millions of people worldwide, cataract surgery restores vision and increases their quality of life through a relatively simple procedure.  Now, new evidence is showing that the benefits of cataract surgery also help those patients with Alzheimer's and dementia symptoms.  

A new study has shown evidence that cataract surgery provides a variety of benefits for people suffering from dementia.  The greatest risk factory for dementia is age and because cataracts form in later life as part of the aging process, the two conditions have a significant overlap.  Symptoms of dementia can include memory loss, difficulty with coordination and motor skills, disorientation, and difficulty communicating.  Poor vision can compound many of these symptoms and the study suggests that improving vision through cataract surgery may help to alleviate them.  

The study involved twenty dementia patients who underwent cataract surgery and a control group of eight patients who did not receive the surgery.  The study then examinated the dementia symptoms of the patients six months later.  Researchers found that the group that received the cataract surgery had significantly improved vision, a slower decilne in memory and thinking skills and showed greater behavoural improvements than those in the control group.  This was in addition to the improved quality of life reported by the carers of the patients who underwent cataract surgery.  The results of the study need to be tested further in a larger group but the initial evidence suggests that increasing the sensory abilities of the patients with dementia provides a great deal of benefit to the patients and their carers.  Many times the argument is made that putting a dementia patient through surgery or a medical procedure is not work it or it will cause undue street.  This study shows that a thoughtful approach to healthcare for patients can be extremely beneficial.  Because cataract surgery is such a relatively simple procedure the benefits may greatly outweigh the risks in this case.  The results of this study point to cataract surgery as a benefit for those suffering from Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.