Relation of ocular trauma to cortical, nuclear, and posterior subcapsular cataracts: the Beaver Dam Eye Study.

Abstract

The consequences of minor ocular trauma in the general population are unclear. The relation of self reported ocular trauma to cortical, nuclear, and posterior subcapsular cataracts is described in a defined population. Population based, cross sectional study involving all people aged 43 to 86 years, living in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin (n=4926). Ocular trauma was ascertained by interview and cataract was graded from lens photographs. The relation of ocular trauma to cortical, nuclear, and posterior subcapsular cataracts was examined. People with a history of ocular trauma were more likely to have cortical (odds ratio (OR): 1.5; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0 to 2.2) and posterior subcapsular (OR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.0 to 3.1) cataracts, compared to people without a history of trauma. These associations were stronger for people with previous trauma caused by a blunt object (OR: 3.3; 95% CI: 1.6 to 6.9 for cortical cataract, and OR: 4.1; 95% CI: 1.5 to 10.8 for posterior subcapsular cataracts). However, in analyses comparing the frequencies of cataract between traumatised and non-traumatised eyes among people with unilateral ocular trauma, the ocular trauma association for cortical cataract was no longer present, although the association for posterior subcapsular cataract persisted (OR: 2.4; 95% CI: 0.8 to 7.8). The data provide evidence of a possible association between self reported ocular trauma and posterior subcapsular cataract.