Alcohol Use and Cataract

Title: Alcohol Use and Cataract

Volume: 2 Issue: 3

Author(s): Yoshimune Hiratsuka, Koichi Ono and Akira Murakami

Affiliation:

Keywords: Alcohol, cataract

Abstract: Cataract is the leading cause of blindness in the world. As the worlds population ages, visual impairment due to cataract is on the increase. This is a significant global problem. The stimulating challenges are to prevent or delay cataract formation. The causes of cataract include age, hereditary factors, smoking, diabetes and ultraviolet (UV) exposure. There are some epidemiologic studies to investigate the relationship between alcohol drinking and cataract. However, the findings on the association between cataract and alcohol consumption are inconsistent. Although the pathophysiologic mechanisms between alcohol and cataract have not been adequately understood, there is some evidence to suggest the relation between alcohol and cataract. Information on a patients drinking history can be valuable to general physicians when there is a diagnosis of cataract and should be collected on a routine basis.

Cite this article as:

Hiratsuka Yoshimune, Ono Koichi and Murakami Akira, Alcohol Use and Cataract, Current Drug Abuse Reviews 2009; 2 (3) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1874473710902030226