title: Iris color and associated pathological ocular complications: a review of epidemiologic studies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To elucidate the associations of iris color with major eye diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic search on Medline with coverage up to August 2013 was conducted. Assessment of the quality of studies based on their levels of evidence was in accordance with the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, Oxford, United Kingdom.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A relationship between darker iris color and an increased risk of age-related cataract has been reported from cross-sectional studies and prospective cohort studies. There was no consistent evidence supporting a major role of iris color in the development or progression of age-related macular degeneration. The association of iris color with ocular uveal melanoma has been confirmed by a meta-analysis of observational studies previously. The etiologic synergism between light iris color and environmental exposure such as UV the exposure of UV radiation was found. There were no studies evaluating the refractive associations with iris color but there may be a possible link between iris color and myopia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Darker iris color is associated with an increased risk of cataract and a reduced risk of ocular uveal melanoma. The association of iris color with age-related macular degeneration is not confirmed. Ophthalmologists should be aware that the risk of ocular disorders appears to vary by differences in iris color.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Peng
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu Province, China ; Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore 168751, Singapore.
authors.forename: Chen-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Pan
keywords: epidemiology; eye diseases; iris color