Cardiovascular disease, vascular risk factors and the incidence of cataract and cataract surgery: the Blue Mountains Eye Study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess whether an association exists between cardiovascular disease, vascular risk factors and incident cataract and cataract surgery.


METHODS
The Blue Mountains Eye Study examined 3654 participants > or = 49 years of age during 1992-4, then 2335 survivors (75.1%) after five years. Trained interviewers administered a vascular history questionnaire; height, weight and blood pressure were measured. Lens photographs from both examinations were graded for presence of cortical, nuclear or posterior subcapsular cataract.


RESULTS
Obesity (body mass index > or = 30 kg/m2) was significantly associated with increased incidence of both cortical [odds ratio (OR) 1.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-2.2] and posterior subcapsular cataract (OR 2.1, CI 1.2-3.7). Hypertensive participants using medication and aged less than 65 years at baseline had a higher incidence of posterior subcapsular cataract (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.3-8.4) than normotensive subjects. A history of angina was associated with higher cataract surgery incidence (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.3-3-5).


CONCLUSIONS
These longitudinal data provide some evidence supporting a relationship between cardiovascular disease, vascular risk factors and incident cataract and cataract surgery. The findings confirm a number of associations previously documented in cross-sectional data.
Younan
Christine
C
Department of Ophthalmology and the Westmead Millennium and Save Sight Institutes, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Mitchell
Paul
P
Cumming
Robert
R
Rochtchina
Elena
E
Panchapakesan
Jai
J
Tumuluri
Krishna
K
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001824:Body Constitution; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002386:Cataract / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors