“Important Players” in the Development of Age-Related Cataracts (Literature Review)

Abstract

Millions people around the world, especially in old age, lose sight because of cataracts. The age-related cataract affects approximately 37 million people in the world annually, and in 51 % of cases, it is the cause of poor vision. Relevant is the importance of identifying risk factors for the development of age-related cataracts. This literature review is devoted to studies examining the influence of various factors on the development of lens opacities. The paper presents data on the effect of age on the development of age-related cataracts, so the prevalence of cataracts at the age of 52–62 years is 5 %, at the age of 60–69 years — 30 %, at the age of 70 and older — 64 %. Its gender features are highlighted — the frequency of lens opacities in women increases significantly with age, and its appearance coincides with the appearance of estrogen deficiency in menopause. Reflected literature data on the dependence of cataract prevalence on race (revealed a higher prevalence in various Asian populations compared with the population of Western countries). This review also had showed the influence of lifestyle and bad habits on the occurrence of cataracts. It was found that smokers have an increased risk of occurrence of a nuclear cataract and, to a lesser extent, the development of its cortical type. It is noted that the development of lens opacification is also influenced by the amount of alcohol consumed, increasing the risk of cataracts, so when studying individual types of cataracts, it is shown that the consumption of strong drinks and wine is associated with an increased risk of nuclear cloudiness. Presents data from large cohort studies that compare (using odds ratios and confidence intervals) the association of cataracts with such somatic diseases as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, also with body mass index and some medications.