Cataract surgery can prolong your life

Q: My 87-year-old mother has a cataract in one eye and is developing another in the other. Her doctor says she should have surgery, but at her age, I’m worried about the operation. What’s your advice? — Edie C., Beaver Falls, Pa.

A: If her overall health is good, the surgery should not only improve her quality of life, but could extend it. A new study found that cataract surgery was “associated with decreased risk for allcause mortality.”

The team of researchers recently published their findings in JAMA Ophthalmology. They looked at more than 20 years of data.

The scientists found that seeing an ophthalmologist and maintaining your vision (cataract surgery) was associated with better cognitive function and a longer life. One obvious reason is that an older person’s risk of falling is greatly reduced. Also, when you can see better, you’re happier, more active, more able to read, play games and interact with the world — all fuel for keeping the body healthy and the brain sharp.

So the next step is to find a good eye surgeon. We suggest getting referrals from her doctor and friends who have had the procedure ; then talk to the surgeons. Ask about their complication rate. In the U.S., the lifetime risk of a detached retina as a complication is about 1 percent. That number rises to about 2 percent if there is some cloudiness on the lens post-surgery that’s cleaned up with YAG laser capsulotomy.

Q: Last week I had some oysters and got really sick. A friend of mine who’s allergic to shellfish said that’s what happens if she eats clams or shrimp. Could I have developed a food allergy? — Yu L., Jamestown, N.Y.

A: A few things could have happened; you ate a “bad” oyster; you’ve developed a food intolerance; or you really do have a food allergy.

Just recently research was presented that showed almost half of people with food allergies developed them later in life.

Overall, the incidence of food allergies in adults is rising, and it’s rising at twice the rate for Asians, blacks and Hispanics as it is for whites.

To be safe, our advice is to see an allergist ASAP. The tests are not intrusive, just a pin-prick test, and in many cases the specialist can tell you exactly what you’re allergic to.

To find an allergist near you, go to the www.allergyandasthmarelief.org and use the ACAAI’S allergist locator to find a board-certified physician.

Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@sharecare. com.