Frequency of Cataract and its Association with Tobacco Use in Subjects of an Eye Camp

Abstract

Purpose: To find the frequency of cataract and to study the relationship between cataract development and tobacco use. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Single day eye camp at Dow University Hospital Karachi in August 2016. Material and Methods: All patients presenting to the camp were screened through standard eye examination including refraction and fundoscopy. After dilatation of pupil these patients were examined with a slit lamp by a consultant ophthalmologist for confirmation of the presence of cataract and its type. Participants were then questioned regarding the type of tobacco use and its duration and frequency with which it was consumed. Those patients with a history of tobacco consumption for more than ten years were included in the study. Results: A total of 550 patients presented to the eye camp of which 120 (21.81%) subjects were found to have a cataract. The mean age of the subjects was 58.02 ± 8.3 years. There were 67 (55.8%) males and 53 (44.2%) females. Among the patients diagnosed with cataract 89 (74.2%) had no history of tobacco usage while 31 (25.8%) gave a positive response regarding tobacco consumption. In nonsmokers the most common cataract was cortical where as in cigarette smokers it was nuclear 8 (57.1%) and in users of smokeless tobacco it was posterior subcapsular 5 (38.5%). There were no pseudophakic patients seen as almost all came from remote areas where there was lack of surgical facility. Conclusion: Tobacco consumption has a strong association with cataract development. Cigarette Smoking as well as chewing smokeless tobacco should be curtailed or avoided altogether. Keywords: Cataract, tobacco, visual acuity.