Population based Study of Risk Factors and Environmental Factors Contributing to Cataractogenesis

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the prevalence and related risk factors of the senile cataract, we performed epidemiologic study in two different geographic area with population based study in the group of 40 years or more old subjects. The results of this study are as follow. The prevalence rate of senile cataract was 32.8% in mountainous area (Chung Won) and 43.3% in rural area (Mun Kyung). The prevalence rate in both area had strong tendency to increase according to age, especially after 7th decade. But there was no clear relationship between male and female. In geographic characterisitic, annual sunshine time was longer, but cloud cover was lesser in Mun Kyung. Also related risk factors of senile cataract were smoking, low education level and poor health status. The cataract was more common in patients with diabetes, hypertension and arthritis. And long term use of steroids, antihypertensive drugs and analgesics for arthritis were risk factors for the cataractogenesis. But alchol consumption and number of pregnacny were not contributing to cataractogenesis. As a result, the senile cataract has mulifactorial factors and its process is complex phenomenon which is still partially known.