A lifetime of outdoor activity may contribute to common eye disease

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 4-Sep-2014

Contact: Mary Leach
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
A lifetime of outdoor activity may contribute to common eye disease; sunglasses may help

BOSTON (Sept. 4, 2014) — Residential geography, time spent in the sun, and whether or not sunglasses are worn may help explain why some people develop exfoliation syndrome (XFS), an eye condition that is a leading cause of secondary open-angle glaucoma and can lead to an increased risk of cataract and cataract surgery complications, according to a study published on Sept. 4 in JAMA, Ophthalmology.

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They found that each degree of weighted lifetime average residential latitude away from the equator was associated with an 11 percent increased odds of XFS. Furthermore, every hour per week spent outdoors during the summer, averaged over a lifetime, was associated with a 4 percent increased odds of XFS. For every 1 percent average lifetime summer time between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. that sunglasses were worn, the odds of XFS decreased by 2 percent in the United States, but not in Israel. In the United States, after controlling for important environmental covariants, the history of work over water or snow was associated with increased odds of XFS. In Israel, there were too few people with this history for analysis. Researchers did not identify an association between brimmed hat wear and XFS. Complete results are available in the study.

"Lifetime outdoor activities may contribute to XFS," said Dr. Pasquale. "The association between work over snow or water and the lack of association with brimmed hat wear suggests that ocular exposure to light from reflective surfaces may be an important type of exposure in XFS etiology. If confirmed in other studies, there could be reason to consider more widespread use of UV-blocking eyewear in these cases to help prevent XFS."

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