《Cataract》If you have a cataract, you should actively treat it! Study of Over 3,000 People Age 65 and Over: Eliminating Cataracts Reduces Risk of Depression by 30%

1. Cataract surgery linked to reduced risk of dementia
2. Removing cataracts can be beneficial in stimulating the brain
3. The importance of the eye-brain connection in dementia research is proven once again

Cataract surgery linked to reduced risk of dementia
Researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine found thatOlder people who have undergone cataract surgery have a lower risk of dementia. The results of this study, published in “JAMA Internal Medicine” in 2021, analyzed the results of participants in the long-term observational study Adult Changes in Thought (ACT). More than 3,000 people aged 65 and overThe subject data. The study found that people who had cataract surgery were less likely to develop cataract surgery from any cause than those who did not.The risk of dementia was reduced by almost 30%, and this risk reduction continued for at least ten years after the surgery.

The researchers note that this observational study still shows a strong link between cataract surgery and a reduced risk of depression, even after adjusting for many confounders. may exist, and says that the best evidence is in epidemiological evidence, since no other medical intervention has shown such a strong relationship with reducing the risk of dementia in older adults .

Removing cataracts can improve the quality of sensory input to the brain and the amount of blue light that gets in, which can be beneficial in stimulating the brain.
Although the study did not identify a mechanism that links cataract surgery to a reduced risk of depression, the researchers maintain that people who undergo cataract surgery may.He may receive higher quality sensory input, which may have benefits in reducing the risk of dementiaat. These results are consistent with earlier observations that sensory input to the brain is important for brain health.

The researchers also raised the possibility that after cataract surgery,The retina can absorb more blue light. Because certain cells in the retina are involved in cognition and the regulation of sleep cycles, and these cells respond well to blue light, it may be possible to eliminate cataracts that prevent on blue light entry.Revive these cells to benefit the brain.

The importance of the eye-brain connection in dementia research has been reaffirmed
Previous research by the research team showed thatOther retinal diseases (such as age-related macular degeneration) are closely related to the development of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.In the above study, it was found again that undergoing cataract surgery and improving vision can reduce the risk of subjects suffering from dementia further research.

Further reading:“Eye” cataracts can be treated without surgery? “RNF114” protein is essential for reversing cataract instability (read)
Further reading:“Eye” Is glaucoma related to Alzheimer’s disease? Can “glaucoma + cataract surgery” be combined to reduce the number of reoperations? Can Shingles Cause Vision Damage? (read)

Source: UW Medicine, ScienceDaily