title: Effect of cataract surgery on falls and mobility in independently living older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of cataract surgery on the occurrence of falls and mobility and balance problems in older adults with cataract.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal follow-up study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical Research Unit, University of Alabama at Birmingham.
  
  
  METHODS
  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).
  
  
  METHODS
  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).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cataract surgery had no association with the occurrence of falls or mobility or balance problems in independently living older adults with a cataract.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, USA. mcgwin@uab.edu
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McGwin
authors.forename: Hilary D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Gewant
authors.forename: Kayvon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Modjarrad
authors.forename: Tyler Andrew
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Owsley
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D002386:Cataract / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance; D014792:Visual Acuity