Recent ophthalmologic studies in atomic bomb survivors

Abstract

Purpose: To report two independent ophthalmologic studies recently conducted in A-bomb survivors. Subjects and Methods: Subjects are (1) 873 persons who underwent slit lamp examinations during 2000 – 2002 and (2) 3761 persons who underwent health examinations during the same period. Dose response relationships between A-bomb radiation and levels of lens opacity by the Lens Opacity Classification System in study (1) and between the A-bomb radiation and a prevalence of postoperative cataract cases in study (2) were analyzed. Results: In logistic regression analyses after adjusting for city, age, and sex, odds ratios at 1 Sv were 1.30 (95% CI, 1.10-1.53) in cortical cataract and 1.44 (95% CI, 1.19-1.73) in posterior subcapsular cataract in study (1) and 1.41 (95% CI, 1.26-1.58) in postoperative cataract cases in study (2), respectively. Conclusion: Independent cataract indicators consistently showed significant dose responses with A-bomb radiation, suggesting a presence of late onset radiation-induced cataract.