An eight-year prospective study of more than 30,000 postmenopausal women in Sweden found that those who were using or had used hormone replacement therapy (HRT) had significantly higher rates of cataract removal compared with women who had never used HRT.
Also, alcohol consumption seemed to increase HRT’s harmful effect, according to the study, published in the March issue of Ophthalmology.

“If future studies confirm the associations we found, increased risk for cataract removal should be added to the list of potential negative HRT outcomes,” says lead researcher Birgitta E. Lindblad, M.D.

More than 4,300 cataract removal surgeries were performed in participants between 1997 and 2005. The risk for cataract removal was increased by 14% in women who had used HRT and by 18% in current HRT users, compared with women who never used HRT. Longer duration of HRT use correlated with increased risk.

Current HRT users who also reported having more than one alcoholic drink per day had a 42% increased risk compared with women who used neither HRT nor alcohol. Smoking status did not significantly affect risk.

“Cataract is more prevalent in postmenopausal women than in men at similar ages; this implies that hormonal differences are involved and suggests a possible role for estrogen,” Dr. Lindblad says.

Lindblad BE, Håkansson N, Philipson B, Wolk A. Hormone replacement therapy in relation to risk of cataract extraction: a prospective study of women. Ophthalmology. 2010 Mar;117(3):424-430.