The use of hormone replacement therapy for the treatment of menopausal symptoms could boost the chances of developing cataracts, new research indicates.
That conclusion is based on a study of more that 30,000 postmenopausal women in Sweden. During the course of the eight-year trial, 4,300 study participants underwent surgery to treat cataracts.
The risk of getting cataracts increased by 14 per cent in women who had, at some point, taken HRT; and rose by 18 per cent among current users, according to the findings published in the journal Ophthalmology.
A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye. To tread the condition, a surgeon will remove the clouded lens and, in most cases, replace it with a clear plastic lens.
"If future studies confirm the associations we found, increased risk for cataract removal should be added to the list of potential negative HRT outcomes," said the lead research Birgitta Lindblad of Sundsvall Hospital in Sweden. Prolonged use of HRT has been linked to an increased risk of some cancers and cardiovascular problems.
Meanwhile, in a separate study also published in Ophthalmology, Canadian researchers found that two antidepressant medications can raise the odds of cataracts.
Taking fluvoxamine (known by the brand name Luvox) led to a 51-per-cent higher chance of having cataract surgery; venlafaxine (Effexor) carried a 34-per-cent higher risk.
The study is based on a databank of more than 200,000 Quebec residents aged 65 and older.
"When you look at the trade-offs of these drugs, the benefits of treating depression - which can be life-threatening - still outweigh the risk of developing cataracts, which are treatable and relatively benign," said the study's lead author, Mahyar Etminan of the University of British Columbia and the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute.