title: Pterygium, pinguecula, and 5-year incidence of cataract.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess longitudinal associations between pterygium, pinguecula, and 5-year incident cataract.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Blue Mountains Eye Study examined 3,654 residents aged > or =49 years during 1992 to 1994 and reexamined 2,335 (75.1% of survivors) 5 years later. Slit-lamp examination recorded pterygium and pinguecula. Cataract was assessed using masked grading of lens photographs. Incidence was assessed in participants without cataract at baseline. Eye-specific data were analyzed using generalized estimating equation models, adjusting for age, sex, smoking, diabetes, and corticosteroid use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pinguecula was associated with a borderline-significant, increased risk of developing cortical cataract (adjusted odds ratio, 1.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.0 to 1.7). We found no significant association between baseline pterygium and the incidence of cortical, nuclear, or posterior subcapsular cataract.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Longitudinal data from the same study population provide weak support for cross-sectional associations between pinguecula and cortical cataract previously reported from our study.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Hawkesbury Road, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.
authors.forename: Thuan Quoc
authors.initials: TQ
authors.lastname: Pham
authors.forename: Jie Jin
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rochtchina
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D002386:Cataract / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D011625:Pterygium / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors