Does Smoke Get in Your Eyes?

The two prospective studies of smoking and risk of cataract and cataract extraction in this issue ofJAMAadd significantly to the growing evidence that cigarette smoking is linked to cataractogenesis.¹,²The findings of Christen et al²of an increased risk in male physicians of opacification in the lens nucleus among current smokers is consistent with previous studies that found a dose-response relationship between amount smoked and cataract,³⁻⁵and a risk for past smokers similar to nonsmokers.³Two previous studies found no association between cataract and cigarette smoking, but both had difficulties that may have produced null findings.⁶One study categorized current smokers and past smokers together, thus reducing the risk estimate for current smokers.⁶The other study, conducted in the Indian subcontinent, did not limit smoking to cigarettes alone but included other products (not further defined).⁷With the prospective data from the