Women who use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after menopause do not appear to have a reduced risk of developing cataracts, or a slower worsening of cataracts, according to Baltimore-based researchers.

Women are more likely than men to develop cataracts, Ellen E. Freeman and colleagues at Johns Hopkins Hospital note in the medical journal Epidemiology. HRT has been associated with a decreased prevalence of these lens opacities, when a cross-section of the population has been looked at.

To investigate further, the researchers examined data from a population-based eye evaluation study involving 1458 women 65 years of age or older.

When the participants were followed for a 2-year period, neither the occurrence of cataracts nor the progression of opacification was influenced by the use of HRT.

“Our study indicated no benefit to taking hormone replacement therapy to protect against lens opacification,” Freeman told Reuters Health. “We did not see any benefit with regard to the prevention of lens opacities or to the slowing down of the opacification process.”

Freeman concluded, “the search will continue for an agent that could delay the progression of lens opacification, since this is such a common problem among older adults and a costly problem for the healthcare system.”

SOURCE: Epidemiology, July 2004.