Bariatric Surgery Decreases Risk of Ocular Morbidity and Mortality finds study

Bariatric surgery is widely used to treat morbid obesity, with known short-term effects on ocular pathology. However, the long-term impact of surgery on the incidence of postoperative ocular diseases remains largely unknown. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between bariatric surgery and the risk of various ocular conditions.

The study analyzed data from the TriNetX United States Collaborative Network national database. Patients with an ICD-10 code for morbid obesity and a procedural code for bariatric surgery were matched to those with morbid obesity but without surgery, resulting in two cohorts of 42,408 patients each. The study tracked the incidence of several ocular conditions after surgery, including:

• Diabetic retinopathy

• Age-related macular degeneration

• Glaucoma

• Low vision and blindness

Outcomes were assessed using relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

The key findings of the study were:

• Bariatric surgery was associated with a significant reduction in the future risk of diabetic retinopathy (RR: 0.283; 95% CI: 0.252-0.319).

• Patients who underwent bariatric surgery had a lower risk of developing macular edema (RR: 0.224; 95% CI: 0.170-0.297).

• The risk of vitreous hemorrhage was also reduced (RR: 0.459; 95% CI: 0.323-0.653).

• Bariatric surgery was linked to lower rates of ocular hypertension (RR: 0.387; 95% CI: 0.387-0.487) and glaucoma (RR: 0.360; 95% CI: 0.326-0.399).

• The surgery was associated with a reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration (RR: 0.628; 95% CI: 0.447-0.882).

• The risk of low vision and blindness was lower in the surgery group (RR: 0.328; 95% CI: 0.294-0.365).

The findings suggest that bariatric surgery not only aids in weight loss but also may have substantial protective effects against future ocular diseases. This could lead to a potential shift in how bariatric surgery is viewed as a comprehensive treatment for both obesity and ocular health.

Bariatric surgery is associated with a decreased risk of future ocular morbidity and mortality, including diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma, among others. These findings highlight the importance of considering bariatric surgery not just as a weight loss intervention, but also as a potential preventive measure for various ocular conditions.

Reference:

Russell, M. W., Kumar, M., Li, A., Singh, R. P., & Talcott, K. E. (2024). Incidence of ocular pathology following bariatric surgery for with morbid obesity across a large United States National Database. Eye. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-024-03088-z