Renal function abnormalities and incident cataract after a five-year interval: The Beaver Dam Eye Study

Purpose. To evaluate the relationship between renal function abnormalities and incidence of age-related cataract. Methods. In a population-based epidemiologic study of age-related eye disease, cataract was classified based on lens photographs. Standard methods of,grading were used. Blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, and gross proteinuria were measured using standard protocols. Results. Cortical cataract was associated with increased BUN, but after controlling for age, this relationship was no longer significant. In those with diabetes, elevated BUN or elevated creatinine was associated with increased odds of posterior subcapsular cataract, but these relationships were not significant. Conclusion. Renal function abnormalities were not significantly associated with incidence of cataract after controlling for age and gender. However, the power to test these associations was limited. Further longitudinal follow-up of this cohort as well as other studies designed to evaluate these associations are needed.