Cataracts, a common eye disorder that often comes with age, may also be linked to a heightened risk of death from heart disease, new research shows.
Experts stressed that the finding doesn’t mean that cataracts somehow cause heart trouble, and the study wasn’t designed to prove cause and effect.
“A variety of medical conditions like [high blood pressure], diabetes or smoking have been associated with increased cataracts and these diseases are also associated with vascular mortality, which may explain the relationship,” said Dr. Matthew Gorski, an ophthalmologist at Northwell Health in Great Neck, N.Y. He believes cataracts may be an important signal of underlying health, however.
