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Hormone Replacement Therapy Reduces Risk of Cataracts in Post-Menopausal Women: Presented at ESO

By Cameron Johnston

MADRID, SPAIN -- June 11, 2003 -- Women who do not use hormone replacement therapy are twice as likely to develop lens opacities, and cataracts compared with women who do use HRT/oestrogen, say researchers.

Women who experience menopause at an earlier age, and who are troubled by menopausal symptoms are also said to be more likely to develop cataracts, the study added. These findings were reported here, at the European Society of Ophthalmology.

According to investigators at the Pomeranian Medical University, in Szczecin, Poland, the differences can be seen after as little as 1 year of HRT use, and in women as young as 50 years of age.

The investigators, from the university's department of ophthalmology looked at 300 women, 150 of whom were on HRT and 150 who were not. The researchers compared the eyes with a variety of measurement tools after 1 year of follow-up. The types of hormone replacements the women were taking were not factored in to the study.

The mean age of the women taking HRT was 57.1 years, while those not taking HRT were slightly older, 57.9 years. None of the women had any risk factors that would otherwise predispose them to cataract formation such as exposure to radiation, previous eye injuries, or family history of cataracts.

At baseline, the women were all evaluated for visual acuity and underwent a slit-lamp biomicroscopy. They were also given a full ophthalmic examination with dilated pupils.

They were evaluated for 8 different levels or grades of cataract or lens opacity.

The differences in the prevalence of cataract and lens opacities was striking for most measures. Cataract of any type was seen in 48.7% of the women not using HRT compared with 20.7% of those on HRT. Subcapcular cataracts were seen in 8.3% of those not using HRT, but not in any women using HRT.

Lens opacities of any type were seen in 39.8% of the non-HRT group and in 15% of the HRT group.

These figures were all statistically significant, the investigators, headed by Drs. Ewa Tamala and Danuta Karczewicz, reported in their poster.

Using a logistic regression analysis to look at independent variables that might influence the formation of cataracts or opacities, the investigators concluded that HRT use is the most significant factor in determining which of the women in this study would develop cataract/opacities (p =.0001). Age was the next most predictive factor with those over 50 more likely to develop cataracts than those under 50 years of age (p=.0002). Severity of menopause symptoms were also positively associated with the formation of cataracts and opacities (p =.0044).

The investigators did not comment on recent studies that have linked HRT use to increased risk of stroke or heart disease, but noted that other studies in the past have produced contradictory results, showing both a protective benefit and no protective benefit to HRT as far as ocular problems are concerned.


[Study title: The Prevalence Of Cataracts In Women Taking Hormone Replacement Therapy. Abstract 250]

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