Survival of patients following second eye cataract extraction.

One hundred and seventy-seven patients aged 65 years or older were studied retrospectively following second eye cataract extraction, having already had successful surgery to their first eye. The period of follow up was 5 to 13.5 years and during this period 109 (62 per cent) patients had died. Analysis of the data showed being male was the only risk factor influencing survival, with female patients living significantly longer. The five year survival of the 60 male patients was 47 per cent while that of 117 female patients was 75 per cent. The figures reflect the shorter life expectancy of males found in the general population and also support the hypothesis that the development of cataract reflects an ageing process in the patient as a whole.