Lens thickness and five-year cumulative incidence of cataracts: The Beaver Dam Eye Study

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether lens thickness is related to incidence of cataracts. METHODS: Lens thickness was measured from slit-lamp photographs of the lens at the time of the prevalence evaluation in the Beaver Dam Eye Study. Incident cataract was determined by grading standard slit-lamp and retroillumination photographs of the lens at the baseline and five-year follow-up examinations. Medical history was obtained and blood pressures, height and weight were measured according to protocol. RESULTS: Lens thickness was positively associated with incident nuclear cataract and inversely associated with incident cortical cataract after accounting for age, sex, diabetes status, hypertension, heavy drinking and cigarette smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Lens thickness is related to incidence of cataracts. Mechanisms to explain these relationships require further laboratory and epidemiologic investigation.