Statin use reduces cataract & AMD risk

Statins may have protective effects on the development of both cataract and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a report published in the April issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology.

Jennifer Tan and colleagues from the Centre for Vision Research, University of Sydney, Australia examined the relationship between statin use and long-term incidence of cataract and AMD using participants from the Blue Mountains Eye Study.

A total of 2,335 participants were re-examined at five years and 1,952 at 10 years. After controlling for age and gender, compared with non-users, statin users had a reduced risk of developing indistinct soft drusen, the principal late AMD precursor lesion (hazard ratio, 0.33; 95% confidence interval, 0.13 to 0.84).

The authors also discovered that statin use can reduce the risk of cataract development by up to 50%.