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. 2019 Apr 25;14(4):e0215338.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215338. eCollection 2019.

Association between ultraviolet radiation exposure dose and cataract in Han people living in China and Taiwan: A cross-sectional study

Hisanori Miyashita  1 , Natsuko Hatsusaka  1 , Eri Shibuya  1 , Norihiro Mita  1 , Mai Yamazaki  1 , Teppei Shibata  1 , Hidetoshi Ishida  1 , Yuki Ukai  1 , Eri Kubo  1 , Hiroshi Sasaki  1
Affiliations

Association between ultraviolet radiation exposure dose and cataract in Han people living in China and Taiwan: A cross-sectional study

Hisanori Miyashita et al. PLoS One. .

Erratum in

Abstract

Purpose: We investigated associations between ocular ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure dose and cataract opacities among Han people living in China and Taiwan, to assess the effects of UV exposure intensity.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included Han people aged ≥40 years (1,801 individuals, 450 in Sanya, 636 in Taiyuan, and 715 in Taichung) as subjects who completed a questionnaire including items about diabetes, smoking, steroid use, work history, and time spent outdoors, and underwent an ophthalmic examination. Right eye axial length was measured using A-mode ultrasonography or IOLMaster. Slit-lamp imaging under maximum mydriasis was used to classify cataracts into three major types [cortical (COR), nuclear (NUC), and posterior subcapsular cataracts (PSC)] and two subtypes [retrodots (RD) and waterclefts (WC)] by one ophthalmologist. COR was divided into opacity presence (CEN+) or absence (CEN-) in the central 3-mm diameter area of the pupil. COR was also subdivided into three groups according to opacity shape: axle-shaped opacity concomitant with WC, wedge-shaped opacity around the pupil to the eye center, and ring-shaped opacity in the lens equator along the pupillary margin. The cumulative ocular UV exposure (COUV) was calculated. A logistic regression analysis was used for multivariate analysis.

Results: Cataract odds ratios in high COUV eyes were 5.35 for NUC, 1.87 for PSC, and 1.35 for RD. In eyes with WC, risk of COR ring-shaped opacity significantly increased but that of wedge-shaped opacity (CEN+) significantly decreased. In eyes without WC, risk of COR axle-shaped opacity (CEN-) and ring-shaped opacity significantly increased but that of wedge-shaped opacity (CEN+) significantly decreased.

Conclusions: Increased COUV level among Han people may be a risk factor for the development of nuclear cataracts, PSC, retrodots and ring-shaped cortical cataract. Risk of ocular UV exposure for cortical cataract may differ by opacity shape.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Kanazawa Medical University Cataract Classification and Grading System.
a: Retrodots—Judged by size of area of opacity within the central 3-mm diameter area of the pupil, b: Waterclefts—Central type WC: opacity inside but not outside the central 3-mm diameter area of the pupil, Peripheral type WC: opacity outside but not inside this central 3-mm diameter area.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Cortical cataract opacity cases.
a: axle-shaped opacity, b: wedge-shaped opacity, c: ring-shaped opacity. Inner circle (yellow) shows the central 6-mm diameter area of the pupil.
Fig 3
Fig 3. COUV distribution among subjects.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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