Cataract Care

A cataract is any cloudiness in the normally clear lens of the eye. This lens is located just behind the iris. They often cause a decrease in contrast, clarity and a change in the appearance of colors.
Dr. Blakemore preforms state of the art, small incision, no stitch cataract surgery at Regional Medical on the Outer Banks and at Chowan Hospital in Edenton.
National Eye Institute, NIH Report on Age Related Vision Problems .pdf format

Cataract Surgery and Automobile Accidents

Cataract has been associated with elevated risk of motor vehicle accidents. This prospective cohort study of 277 patients with cataract (aged 55 to 84 years at enrollment) investigated the impact of cataract surgery on the crash risk for older adults in the years following surgery, compared with that of older adults who have cataract but who elect to not have surgery. Comparing the cataract surgery group (n = 174) with the no surgery group (n = 103), the rate ratio for crash involvement was 0.47, adjusting for race and baseline visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. The absolute rate reduction associated with cataract surgery was 4.74 crashes per million miles of travel. Patients with cataract who underwent cataract surgery and intraocular lens implantation had half the rate of crash involvement during the follow-up period compared with cataract patients who did not undergo surgery. Cataract surgery thus may have a previously undocumented benefit for older driver safety, reducing subsequent crash rate.
SOURCE: Owsley C, McGwin G Jr, Sloane M, et. al.: Impact of cataract surgery on motor vehicle crash involvement by older adults. JAMA 2002;288(7):841-9.

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