Associations Between Age-Related Nuclear Cataract and Lutein and Zeaxanthin in the Diet and Serum in the Carotenoids in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (CAREDS), an Ancillary Study of the Women's Health Initiative

Abstract

Age-related cataract is a common condition among older adults that has been gaining increased health policy importance. An estimated 20.5 million Americans (17%) older than 40 years have cataract in either eye, and 6.1 million (5%) have had cataracts extracted.¹ The number of Americans affected by cataract and undergoing cataract surgery is expected to increase dramatically during the next 20 years as the US population ages.¹ The large increase in cataract surgical procedures predicted for the US population as a whole is of significant health policy concern because treatment for cataract accounts for approximately 60% of vision-related Medicare expenditures.² As more aging Americans need cataract surgery, there is concern about the ability of health care systems, particularly Medicare, to fund cataract surgery.² Therefore, identifying modifiable risk factors is of critical importance to improving health of older Americans and to the economic stability of the health care system.