The epidemiology of cataract: a study in Greece.
OBJECTIVE
We conducted a case-control study to identify risk factors for cataract in the Mediterranean Greek population. Three hundred and fourteen cases and 314 frequency-matched controls of both genders, aged 45-85, attending the ophthalmology department of a major teaching hospital in Athens, Greece, were included in the study.


METHODS
Cases were medically diagnosed and classified. Controls were healthy visitors without cataract. A detailed questionnaire, covering demographic, socioeconomic, somatometric, lifestyle and medical history variables, provided data on possible risk factors for cataract. Analyses were conducted through multiple logistic regression.


METHODS
Cataract overall and by type: nuclear, cortical and posterior subcapsular (PSC).


RESULTS
Statistically significant increased risk for cataract overall was found for current (OR = 1.99, 95%CI: 1.23-3.23) and ex-smokers (OR = 1.64, 95%CI: 1.02-2.70), history of coronary heart disease (OR = 2.25, 95%CI: 1.43-3.55), family history of ophthalmologic diseases (OR = 1.51, 95%CI: 1.03-2.20) and higher sunlight exposure at the beach (OR = 2.26, 95%CI: 1.37-3.72) as well as at work (OR = 2.03, 95%CI: 1.32-3.12). Use of measures protecting against sunlight at the beach, i.e. hat (OR = 0.58, 95%CI: 0.39-0.85) and vision repair spectacles (OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.30-0.65), were associated with reduced risk. RESULTS for cataract overall were also evident for the nuclear type and in most circumstances for PSC type, but were only suggestive for the cortical type of cataract.


CONCLUSIONS
We identified certain possible risk factors for age-related cataract. In a Mediterranean Greek population, we found that smoking, use of cortisone drops, cardiovascular heart disease and sunlight exposure increase the risk for cataract, while use of hat and vision repair spectacles act protectively.
Theodoropoulou
Sofia
S
Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology & Medical Statistics, Medical School, University of Athens, Greece.
Theodossiadis
Panagiotis
P
Samoli
Evangelia
E
Vergados
Ioannis
I
Lagiou
Pagona
P
Tzonou
Anastasia
A
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002386:Cataract / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology