Trial reportThe British journal of ophthalmology2005
Falls and health status in elderly women following first eye cataract surgery: a randomised controlled trial.
Trial report in The British journal of ophthalmology, 2005. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 113 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
113 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 379 citations in OpenAlex.
- Optometrists' practice of falls prevention care for community dwelling older adults: A mixed methods systematic review.BMC geriatrics · 2026Pooled it
- Vision and Relevant Risk Factor Interventions for Preventing Falls among Older People: A Network Meta-analysis.Scientific reports · 2015Pooled it
- Interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2012Pooled it
- Interventions for age-related visual problems in patients with stroke.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2012Pooled it
- Non-pharmacological management of osteoporosis: a consensus of the Belgian Bone Club.Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA · 2011Pooled it
- Cataract.BMJ clinical evidence · 2008Pooled it
- The consequences of waiting for cataract surgery: a systematic review.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2007Pooled it
- Risk communication in cataract surgery.BMJ open ophthalmology · 2024Trial
- Fall prevention interventions in primary care to reduce fractures and falls in people aged 70 years and over: the PreFIT three-arm cluster RCT.Health technology assessment (Winchester, England) · 2021Trial
- Can older adults' balance and mobility improve with visual attention training?European journal of applied physiology · 2019Trial
- Trial
- Predictors of adherence to a multifaceted podiatry intervention for the prevention of falls in older people.BMC geriatrics · 2011Trial
- Effectiveness of a multifaceted podiatry intervention to prevent falls in community dwelling older people with disabling foot pain: randomised controlled trial.BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2011Trial
- Falls and health status in elderly women following first eye cataract surgery: an economic evaluation conducted alongside a randomised controlled trial.The British journal of ophthalmology · 2007Trial
- Falls Assessment Clinical Trial (FACT): design, interventions, recruitment strategies and participant characteristics.BMC public health · 2007Trial
- Randomised controlled trial of prevention of falls in people aged > or =75 with severe visual impairment: the VIP trial.BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2005Trial
- Evaluation of Functional Impacts of Vision Impairment: Progress, Challenges and Future Directions.Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists) · 2026Review
- Article
- Contrast Sensitivity Impairment Is Associated With Limitations of Physical Functioning and Activities of Daily Living Among Older Adults.Journal of aging and health · 2026Article
- Ten tips to reduce fracture risk by non-pharmacologic interventions in CKD-associated osteoporosis.Clinical kidney journal · 2026Review
53 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/
aimA third of elderly people fall each year. Poor vision is associated with increased risk of falls. The authors aimed to determine if first eye cataract surgery reduces the risk of falling, and to measure associated health gain.
methods306 women aged over 70, with cataract, were randomised to expedited (approximately 4 weeks) or routine (12 months wait) surgery. Falls were ascertained by diary, with follow up every 3 months. Health status was measured after 6 months.
resultsVisual function improved in the operated group (corrected binocular acuity improved by 0.25 logMAR units; 8% had acuity worse than 6/12 compared with 37% of controls). Over 12 months of follow up, 76 (49%) operated participants fell at least once, and 28 (18%) fell more than once. 69 (45%) unoperated participants fell at least once, 38 (25%) fell more than once. Rate of falling was reduced by 34% in the operated group (rate ratio 0.66, 95% confidence interval 0.45 to 0.96, p = 0.03). Activity, anxiety, depression, confidence, visual disability, and handicap all improved in the operated group compared with the control group. Four participants in the operated group had fractures (3%), compared with 12 (8%) in the control group (p = 0.04).
conclusionFirst eye cataract surgery reduces the rate of falling, and risk of fractures and improves visual function and general health status.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.