title: Cardiovascular disease, vascular risk factors and the incidence of cataract and cataract surgery: the Blue Mountains Eye Study.
abstract: 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.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology and the Westmead Millennium and Save Sight Institutes, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Younan
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Mitchell
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Cumming
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Rochtchina
authors: Jai
authors: J
authors: Panchapakesan
authors: Krishna
authors: K
authors: Tumuluri
mesh_terms: 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