Vitamin Supplement Use and Incident Cataracts in a Population-Based Study

Abstract

To determine the relationship between vitamin supplement use and the 5-year incidence of nuclear, cortical, and posterior subcapsular cataract in the Beaver Dam Eye Study cohort. Design: The 5-year incidence of cataract, determined from slitlamp (nuclear cataract) and retroillumination (cortical and posterior subcapsular cataract) photographs, was assessed in a population-based cohort of persons participating in baseline (1988-1990) and follow-up (1993-1995) examinations. Detailed data regarding the type, dosage, and duration of supplement use were obtained by in-person interviews at follow-up. Participants: Residents of Beaver Dam, Wis, aged 43 to 86 years, were identified by private census. Of the 3684 participants in both baseline and follow-up examinations, 3089 wereeligibleforincidentcataractanalysisinthepresentstudy. Results: Compared with nonusers, the 5-year risk for any cataract was 60% lower among persons who, at follow

High-Dose Supplements of Vitamins C and E, Low-Dose Multivitamins, and the Risk of Age-related Cataract: A Population-based Prospective Cohort Study of Men

“…Prospective studies have also observed decreased risk for nuclear (22,24) and cortical cataracts among women aged <60 years (21) and for long-term users (25). Multivitamin use was not associated with cataract risk in some prospective studies (20,21) and randomized controlled trials (14,18), whereas others observed a decreased risk of cataract (23,25,26) and some cataract subtypes (18,22,24). Several factors may contribute to the differences between our results and those of other studies.…”

High-Dose Supplements of Vitamins C and E, Low-Dose Multivitamins, and the Risk of Age-related Cataract: A Population-based Prospective Cohort Study of Men

“…Prospective studies have also observed decreased risk for nuclear (22,24) and cortical cataracts among women aged <60 years (21) and for long-term users (25). Multivitamin use was not associated with cataract risk in some prospective studies (20,21) and randomized controlled trials (14,18), whereas others observed a decreased risk of cataract (23,25,26) and some cataract subtypes (18,22,24). Several factors may contribute to the differences between our results and those of other studies.…”

Food Supplements in the Treatment of Ophthalmic Diseases: Preclinical and Clinical Studies

“…Along the same line, the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reported an inverse association between serum AsA and self-reported cataract [505], confirmed by the findings of the Nutrition and Vision Project, in which the inverse association between cortical and posterior subcapsular cataract with the use of long-term vitamin C supplement was evidenced [506]. These results are also consistent with those from the Beaver Dam Eye study where the 5-year risk to develop nuclear or cortical cataract was 40% and 60% lower among individuals who reported the abitual use of multivitamins or any other supplement containing vitamin C [507]. Daily oral use for 3 years of a mixture of antioxidant micronutrients including vitamin C produced a small deceleration in the progression of ARC [508].…”

Vitamin E Can Protect against Ultraviolet Radiation-Induced Cataract in Albino Rats

“…In the Physicians' Health Study, men who used multivitamin supplements had a decreased risk of cataract extraction after 5 years of follow-up [9]. Associations between a decreased risk for cataract and nutritional supplements, such as vitamin E [33] or multivitamins [34], were reported in other studies. A longitudinal epidemiological study of the natural history of lens opacities performed by Leske et al [10] suggested that the use of supplements of vitamin E decrease the risk for progression of nuclear opacities.…”

High-Dose Supplements of Vitamins C and E, Low-Dose Multivitamins, and the Risk of Age-related Cataract: A Population-based Prospective Cohort Study of Men

“…Prospective studies have also observed decreased risk for nuclear (22,24) and cortical cataracts among women aged <60 years (21) and for long-term users (25). Multivitamin use was not associated with cataract risk in some prospective studies (20,21) and randomized controlled trials (14,18), whereas others observed a decreased risk of cataract (23,25,26) and some cataract subtypes (18,22,24). Several factors may contribute to the differences between our results and those of other studies.…”

Food Supplements in the Treatment of Ophthalmic Diseases: Preclinical and Clinical Studies

“…Along the same line, the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reported an inverse association between serum AsA and self-reported cataract [505], confirmed by the findings of the Nutrition and Vision Project, in which the inverse association between cortical and posterior subcapsular cataract with the use of long-term vitamin C supplement was evidenced [506]. These results are also consistent with those from the Beaver Dam Eye study where the 5-year risk to develop nuclear or cortical cataract was 40% and 60% lower among individuals who reported the abitual use of multivitamins or any other supplement containing vitamin C [507]. Daily oral use for 3 years of a mixture of antioxidant micronutrients including vitamin C produced a small deceleration in the progression of ARC [508].…”

Vitamin E Can Protect against Ultraviolet Radiation-Induced Cataract in Albino Rats

“…In the Physicians' Health Study, men who used multivitamin supplements had a decreased risk of cataract extraction after 5 years of follow-up [9]. Associations between a decreased risk for cataract and nutritional supplements, such as vitamin E [33] or multivitamins [34], were reported in other studies. A longitudinal epidemiological study of the natural history of lens opacities performed by Leske et al [10] suggested that the use of supplements of vitamin E decrease the risk for progression of nuclear opacities.…”

High-Dose Supplements of Vitamins C and E, Low-Dose Multivitamins, and the Risk of Age-related Cataract: A Population-based Prospective Cohort Study of Men

“…Prospective studies have also observed decreased risk for nuclear (22,24) and cortical cataracts among women aged <60 years (21) and for long-term users (25). Multivitamin use was not associated with cataract risk in some prospective studies (20,21) and randomized controlled trials (14,18), whereas others observed a decreased risk of cataract (23,25,26) and some cataract subtypes (18,22,24). Several factors may contribute to the differences between our results and those of other studies.…”

Food Supplements in the Treatment of Ophthalmic Diseases: Preclinical and Clinical Studies

“…Along the same line, the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reported an inverse association between serum AsA and self-reported cataract [505], confirmed by the findings of the Nutrition and Vision Project, in which the inverse association between cortical and posterior subcapsular cataract with the use of long-term vitamin C supplement was evidenced [506]. These results are also consistent with those from the Beaver Dam Eye study where the 5-year risk to develop nuclear or cortical cataract was 40% and 60% lower among individuals who reported the abitual use of multivitamins or any other supplement containing vitamin C [507]. Daily oral use for 3 years of a mixture of antioxidant micronutrients including vitamin C produced a small deceleration in the progression of ARC [508].…”

Vitamin E Can Protect against Ultraviolet Radiation-Induced Cataract in Albino Rats

“…In the Physicians' Health Study, men who used multivitamin supplements had a decreased risk of cataract extraction after 5 years of follow-up [9]. Associations between a decreased risk for cataract and nutritional supplements, such as vitamin E [33] or multivitamins [34], were reported in other studies. A longitudinal epidemiological study of the natural history of lens opacities performed by Leske et al [10] suggested that the use of supplements of vitamin E decrease the risk for progression of nuclear opacities.…”