Cosmic Radiation Increases the Risk of Nuclear Cataract in Airline Pilots

Abstract

Background: Aviation involves exposure to ionizing radiation of cosmic origin. The association between lesions of the ocular lens and ionizing radiation is wellknown.Objective: To investigate whether employment as a commercial airline pilot and the resulting exposure to cosmic radiation is associated with lens opacification.Methods: This is a population-based case-control study of 445 men. Lens opacification was classified into 4 types using the World Health Organization simplified grading system. These 4 types, serving as cases, included 71 persons with nuclear cataracts, 102 with cortical lens opacification, 69 with central optical zone involvement, and 32 with posterior subcapsular lens opacification. Control subjects are those with a different type of lens opacification or without lens opacification. Exposure was assessed based on employment time as pilots, annual number of hours flown on each aircraft type, time tables, flight profiles, and individual cumulative radiation doses (in millisieverts) calculated by a software program. Odds ratios were calculated using logistic regression.

Protracted low-dose radiation exposure and cataract in a cohort of Chinese industry radiographers

“…Protracted exposures to low levels of photon radiation was, therefore, found to be a risk factor for the development of cortical and PSC opacities, although dose–effect relationships were not observed for these types of cataracts. Our results are consistent with findings from previous studies, including the Chernobyl liquidators,6 US astronauts,12 atomic bomb survivors,21 commercial airline pilots,22 healthcare personnel7 and Taiwanese living in 60 Co-contaminated steel 23. All of these studies found a significant association between protracted exposure to low-dose radiation, and increased risk of cortical and PSC cataract formation or other lenticular changes.…”

Protracted low-dose radiation exposure and cataract in a cohort of Chinese industry radiographers

“…Protracted exposures to low levels of photon radiation was, therefore, found to be a risk factor for the development of cortical and PSC opacities, although dose–effect relationships were not observed for these types of cataracts. Our results are consistent with findings from previous studies, including the Chernobyl liquidators,6 US astronauts,12 atomic bomb survivors,21 commercial airline pilots,22 healthcare personnel7 and Taiwanese living in 60 Co-contaminated steel 23. All of these studies found a significant association between protracted exposure to low-dose radiation, and increased risk of cortical and PSC cataract formation or other lenticular changes.…”

Risk of Cataract after Exposure to Low Doses of Ionizing Radiation: A 20-Year Prospective Cohort Study among US Radiologic Technologists

“…Our results accord well with findings from smaller studies, including the reanalysis of atomic bomb survivors (9), a cohort of patients with chronic exposure to low-dose-rate radiation from 60 Cobalt-contaminated steel in their residences (26), studies of children exposed to low doses from the Chernobyl (Ukraine) accident (27), commercial airline pilots (28), and space astronauts (29). All of these studies found a significant association between exposure to lowdose radiation and increased risk of cortical and posterior subcapsular cataract formation or other lenticular changes.…”

“…However, ocular trauma is a relatively rare event, especially among women. In one study, fewer than 5 percent of all cataract patients had a history of ocular trauma (28). Using self-reported history of diagnostic radiographic procedures is another limitation of our study.…”

A review of non-cancer effects, especially circulatory and ocular diseases

“…Risks in various other groups (Chodick et al 2008; Mrena et al 2011) are generally non-significant. The one exceptional study, of Icelandic airline pilots, indicated a large (and borderline significant) risk for NC (Rafnsson et al 2005); the dosimetry in this study is a reconstruction derived from the pilots’ flight logs, and may not be as reliable as the dose estimates in the other studies considered here.…”

Protracted low-dose radiation exposure and cataract in a cohort of Chinese industry radiographers

“…Protracted exposures to low levels of photon radiation was, therefore, found to be a risk factor for the development of cortical and PSC opacities, although dose–effect relationships were not observed for these types of cataracts. Our results are consistent with findings from previous studies, including the Chernobyl liquidators,6 US astronauts,12 atomic bomb survivors,21 commercial airline pilots,22 healthcare personnel7 and Taiwanese living in 60 Co-contaminated steel 23. All of these studies found a significant association between protracted exposure to low-dose radiation, and increased risk of cortical and PSC cataract formation or other lenticular changes.…”

Risk of Cataract after Exposure to Low Doses of Ionizing Radiation: A 20-Year Prospective Cohort Study among US Radiologic Technologists

“…Our results accord well with findings from smaller studies, including the reanalysis of atomic bomb survivors (9), a cohort of patients with chronic exposure to low-dose-rate radiation from 60 Cobalt-contaminated steel in their residences (26), studies of children exposed to low doses from the Chernobyl (Ukraine) accident (27), commercial airline pilots (28), and space astronauts (29). All of these studies found a significant association between exposure to lowdose radiation and increased risk of cortical and posterior subcapsular cataract formation or other lenticular changes.…”

“…However, ocular trauma is a relatively rare event, especially among women. In one study, fewer than 5 percent of all cataract patients had a history of ocular trauma (28). Using self-reported history of diagnostic radiographic procedures is another limitation of our study.…”

A review of non-cancer effects, especially circulatory and ocular diseases

“…Risks in various other groups (Chodick et al 2008; Mrena et al 2011) are generally non-significant. The one exceptional study, of Icelandic airline pilots, indicated a large (and borderline significant) risk for NC (Rafnsson et al 2005); the dosimetry in this study is a reconstruction derived from the pilots’ flight logs, and may not be as reliable as the dose estimates in the other studies considered here.…”

Protracted low-dose radiation exposure and cataract in a cohort of Chinese industry radiographers

“…Protracted exposures to low levels of photon radiation was, therefore, found to be a risk factor for the development of cortical and PSC opacities, although dose–effect relationships were not observed for these types of cataracts. Our results are consistent with findings from previous studies, including the Chernobyl liquidators,6 US astronauts,12 atomic bomb survivors,21 commercial airline pilots,22 healthcare personnel7 and Taiwanese living in 60 Co-contaminated steel 23. All of these studies found a significant association between protracted exposure to low-dose radiation, and increased risk of cortical and PSC cataract formation or other lenticular changes.…”

Risk of Cataract after Exposure to Low Doses of Ionizing Radiation: A 20-Year Prospective Cohort Study among US Radiologic Technologists

“…Our results accord well with findings from smaller studies, including the reanalysis of atomic bomb survivors (9), a cohort of patients with chronic exposure to low-dose-rate radiation from 60 Cobalt-contaminated steel in their residences (26), studies of children exposed to low doses from the Chernobyl (Ukraine) accident (27), commercial airline pilots (28), and space astronauts (29). All of these studies found a significant association between exposure to lowdose radiation and increased risk of cortical and posterior subcapsular cataract formation or other lenticular changes.…”

“…However, ocular trauma is a relatively rare event, especially among women. In one study, fewer than 5 percent of all cataract patients had a history of ocular trauma (28). Using self-reported history of diagnostic radiographic procedures is another limitation of our study.…”

A review of non-cancer effects, especially circulatory and ocular diseases

“…Risks in various other groups (Chodick et al 2008; Mrena et al 2011) are generally non-significant. The one exceptional study, of Icelandic airline pilots, indicated a large (and borderline significant) risk for NC (Rafnsson et al 2005); the dosimetry in this study is a reconstruction derived from the pilots’ flight logs, and may not be as reliable as the dose estimates in the other studies considered here.…”