Short report - Birth weight is not associated with cataracts or pseudophakia : results from the Gutenberg Health Study

Abstract

This study investigates the association between self-reported birth weight (BW) and the frequency of cataract and pseudophakia in a large population-based cohort in Germany, as part of the Gutenberg Health Study (GHS). Slit lamp examination and Scheimpflug imaging of 8205 participants, aged 35 to 74, were assessed and signs of cataract or pseudophakia analyzed. The research aimed to explore the correlation between fetal growth restriction and/or prematurity indicated by BW and the frequency of cataract and pseudophakia. In the univariable analysis, cataract was initially associated with low and high BW, but this association disappeared after adjusting for age, sex, examiner and cardiovascular risk factors. No association was found between low BW and pseudophakia or the frequency of cataract surgery within 5 years. The study reveals novel insights from a large population-based study specifically exploring this association. Keywords: Cataract, pseudophakia, birth weight, epidemiology, population-based study