Cataract surgery benefits include lower risk of traffic crashes

A new study has findings that add to the growing list of cataract surgery benefits: a lower risk of traffic crashes. A recently published population-based study out of Toronto suggests that having cataract surgery in at least one eye may lower the risk of drivers subsequently getting in serious traffic accidents by 9%. The study, published in JAMA Ophthalmology, looked at data from over 500,000 patients. This is another great example of “big data” being used to uncover associations that were previously only hypothesized.

A cataract forms when the natural lens in the eye becomes cloudy and discolored. This can cause blurry vision, difficulty driving or reading, and increasing symptoms of glare and haloes around lights. A comprehensive eye exam performed by an eye care provider is all that is needed to diagnose cataracts. Cataract surgery has become one of the most commonly performed surgeries in the world because modern technology allows cataract surgeons to achieve consistent results while minimizing the risk of complications.