Carbohydrate Intake Linked to Higher Cataract Risk in Women

According to a study from the Melbourne Visual Impairment Project and published in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, women who consume higher amounts of carbohydrates appear to have a higher risk for cortical and nuclear Cataract formation. After adjusting for risk factors and multivariate analysis, women in the highest quartile of total carbohydrate consumption had a significantly risk of having a pure cortical Cataract. The researchers concluded that managing carbohydrate intake could prolong the overall health of the Crystalline Lens, however additional study is warranted.

Cataracts & Antidepressants

Canadian researchers discovered a link between an increased risk of cataracts and certain drugs used to treat depression and anxiety. The study, published in the March 2010 journal, Ophthalmology, involved more than 200,000 patients aged 65 and older. The data indicated a link between Cataracts and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors existed such that those patients using these medications had a 1.23-1.51 times greater risk of having Cataract Surgery than the control group, depending on which medication they were actually taking.