Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #165615
Title: MODERATE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE INTAKE AND EARLY NUCLEAR AND CORTICAL LENS OPACITIES

Author
item MORRIS, MARTHA - TUFTS-HNRCA
item JACQUES, PAUL - TUFTS-HNRCA
item HANKINSON, SUSAN - HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
item CHYLACK, LEO - BRIGHAM AND WOMENS HOSP
item WILLETT, WALTER - HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
item TAYLOR, ALLEN - TUFTS-HNRCA

Submitted to: Ophthalmic Epidemiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/2003
Publication Date: 2/1/2004
Citation: Morris, M.S., Jacques, P.F., Hankinson, S.E., Chylack, L.T., Willett, W.C., Taylor, A. 2004. Moderate alcoholic beverage intake and early nuclear and cortical lens opacities. Ophthalmic Epidemiology. 11(1):53-65.

Interpretive Summary: Lens opacification or clouding results from the disruption of the transmission of light through the eye lens due to damage to the lens cells and their constituents. When the opacification presents clinically as a reduction in visual acuity, it is referred to as a cataract. Cataract can be successfully treated, but the treatment represents an enormous economic burden. In the US, more than 1.3 million cataract extractions are performed each year at a cost of approximately $3.5 billion, accounting for the largest line item in the Medicare budget. Clearly, preventing or delaying cataract onset would have a tremendous impact. Despite decades of research we still have no means of preventing cataract. Results of the few published studies of alcoholic beverage consumption and risk of cataract have been mixed. While alcoholism, heavy drinking, and hard liquor consumption are associated with a greater risk of cataract, other studies suggest that moderate alcohol use may protect against cataract or be unrelated to cataract risk. In the present study, we examined the relationship between alcoholic beverage intake and early lens opacities in 556 Boston-area women aged 53-74 years, who were sampled from the Nurses' Health Study cohort. Degree of opacity was assessed by eye examinations including lens photography. We observed that the prevalence of nuclear opacity increased by 30% per 10-g increase in total alcohol intake. We also observed that prevalence of nuclear opacity was positively associated with consumption of hard-alcoholic drinks and wine whereas the prevalence of a cortical opacity was inversely associated with wine consumption. In conclusion, consumption of alcoholic beverages is associated with lens opacities, although the nature and the basis of the relationship remain uncertain.

Technical Abstract: Our purpose was to study the relationship between alcoholic beverage intake and early lens opacities. 556 Boston-area women aged 53-74 years were sampled from the Nurses' Health Study cohort. Degree of opacity was assessed by eye examinations including lens photography. After multivariate adjustment, the odds of a nuclear opacity grade >/= 2.3 increased by 30% (OR=1.3, p5% CI: 1.10-1.54) per 10-g increase in total alcohol intake. Furthermore, after control for intake of other alcoholic beverages, the odds of a higher nuclear opacity grade increased by 13% (OR= 1.13, 95% CI: 1.02-1.26) for every two additional hard-alcoholic drinks consumed per week, and by 17% (OR= 1.17, 95% CI: 1.03-1.33) for every two additional classes of wine consumed per week. The odds of a cortical opacity grade >/=0.4 decreased by 12% (OR= 0.88, 95% CI: 0.79-0.98) for every two additional glasses of wine consumed per week, but intake of other alcoholic beverages was unrelated to cortical opacity. Consumption of alcoholic beverages, particularly hard liquor and wine, was positively related to nuclear opacity. Wine drinking was inversely related to cortical opacity.