Prevalence of age-related cataract in high-selenium areas of China.

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of age-related cataract in high-selenium areas of China. This is a cross-sectional study of 1,522 persons aged 50 years and more who were selected as a representative sample from the Enshi prefecture in Hubei province. All lenses were graded and classified for opacities by slit lamp after papillary dilation, using the Lens Opacification Classification System II. The age-related cataract patients were 418 cases (33.28%). The prevalence of age-related cataract was 37.2% in women and 26.0% in men. The prevalence of nuclear cataract was 23.7%; cortical cataract was 22.4% and posterior subcapsule cataract was 5.2%. The prevalence of cataract of the 50-59 group was 13.41%; 60-69 group was 42.15%; 70 and over group was 61.9%. The prevalence of age-related cataract in high-selenium areas has not significantly increased; to some extent, the high selenium intake will not become a risk factor for the increase of cataract incidence.