title: The ocular benefits of estrogen replacement therapy: a population-based study in postmenopausal Korean women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To elucidate the prevalence of cataract, glaucoma, pterygia, and diabetic retinopathy among Korean postmenopausal women with or without estrogen replacement therapy (ERT).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional, nationally representative sample from the 4th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV) (2007-2009) was used. Participants were interviewed for the determination of socioeconomic and gynecologic factors. Each woman also underwent an ophthalmologic examination and provided a blood sample for risk factor assessment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 3968 postmenopausal women enrolled, 3390 had never received estrogen, and 578 were undergoing estrogen treatment. After adjusting for age, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol levels, and high low-density lipoprotein levels, the prevalence of anterior polar cataract, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) defect, and flesh pterygium was higher in the non-ERT group (OR, 3.24; 95% CI, 1.12-9.35, OR 1.70; 95% CI, 1.04-2.78, OR 3.725; 95% CI, 1.21-11.45, respectively). Further, the prevalence of atrophic pterygium was lower in the non-ERT group compared to that in the ERT group (OR, 0.21, 95% CI, 0.07-0.63).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that ERT has a protective effect against the development of anterior polar cataract, flesh pterygium, and RNFL defect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung-Sun
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Na
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Jee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyungdo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong-Gyu
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Man Soo
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Chul
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002386:Cataract / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D015995:Prevalence; D011625:Pterygium / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D056910:Republic of Korea
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens