Link between cataract surgery and a longer life expectancy

While cataract surgery improves the quality of life by improving vision, it's also being linked to a longer lifespan. Cataract surgery is a 10-minute procedure that happens to be the most commonly performed surgery in the United States with a success rate of over 99 percent. An Australian study followed 354 participants over the age of 49 for 10 years. Adjustments were made for other health factors such as smoking, cancer, smoking and stroke and the results showed a 40 percent lower death rate in the participants who had cataract surgery. This mirrors results from other studies. Researchers don't fully understand what the link is between cataract surgery and increased longevity but they believe that it might have to do with better physical and emotional wellbeing post-surgery, fewer falls that result in major injury and the ability to continue living independently.*