Lead exposure may raise risk of cataract

	Tweet

Long-term exposure to high levels of lead seems to triple the risk of developing cataracts, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Previous studies have identified lead in the lenses of people with cataracts, but it was unclear if accumulated lead exposure was a risk factor for the condition.

To investigate, Dr. Debra A. Schaumberg, from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and colleagues analyzed lead levels and eye examination data for 642 older men who participated in the Normative Aging Study. The subjects were at least 60 years of age.

Cataracts were identified in 122 men, the researchers report. After accounting for cigarette smoking, diabetes, blood lead levels, and vitamin intake, people with the highest levels of lead in their shinbone—a test for long-term exposure—were 3.2-times more likely to have cataracts than those with the lowest levels.

Cataract risk also rose as lead levels in the kneecap climbed, but the association was not as strong as that seen with lead in the shinbone. In contrast, no association was seen with blood lead levels, which only reflect short-term lead exposure.

“These are, to our knowledge, the first data suggesting that accumulated lead exposure, such as that commonly experienced by adults in the United States, may be an important risk factor for cataract,” the authors state. “This research suggests that reduction of lead exposure could help decrease the global burden of cataract.”

SOURCE: Journal of the American Medical Association, December 8, 2004.

RELATED STORIES:
From eye to brain   For some kids, corneal transplant improves vision and daily life   Glittering gold may aid in vision, LCD screens   Statins may improve circulation in the eye   Study suggests wearing no-line bifocals slows myopia progression in some children   Long-distance runners reduce vision-loss risk   “Lazy Eye” Treatment Shows Promise in Adults   New Treatment Option for Major Cause of Blindness in Adults   Eye disease predicts heart failure   Loss of vision a possibility after glaucoma surgery   Cost of glaucoma medications may impact treatment   Experimental Therapy May Lead to Macular Degeneration

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]