Exposure to diagnostic x-rays and incident age-related eye disease.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a self-reported history of computed tomography or other x-rays of the head were associated with the incidence of age-related cataracts and maculopathy five years later.


METHODS
A 5-year longitudinal follow-up of the Beaver Dam Eye Study cohort (n=3,684, 43-86 years at baseline).


RESULTS
There was no evidence of a relationship between the x-ray exposures and the incidence of nuclear or cortical cataracts, or early maculopathy. There was a significant relationship to the incidence of posterior subcapsular cataract after adjusting for age only.


CONCLUSIONS
Adult patients in whom medical conditions warrant diagnostic x-rays of the head appear to be at little or no increased risk of age-related cataract or maculopathy. However, research efforts with more precise measures of x-ray exposure, longer follow-up, and further attempts to define uncontrolled confounders are warranted.
Klein
B E
BE
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, Wisconsin 53705-2397, USA.
Klein
R E
RE
Moss
S E
SE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002386:Cataract / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014922:Wisconsin / Q000453:epidemiology