Br J Ophthalmol 1998;82:186-188 ( February )
Effect of cigarette smoking on copper, lead, and cadmium
accumulation in human lens
Osman Cekic
Department of Ophthalmology,
University of Ankara Medical School, Ankara, Turkey
Correspondence to: Osman Cekic, MD, Basak
Sokak, No 54/7, 06660 Kucukesat, Ankara, Turkey.
Accepted for publication 18 September 1997
AIM
To identify cigarette smoking as a risk factor
for development of cataract, to determine the importance of copper,
lead, and cadmium in cataractogenesis, and to learn about any relation
between those elements.
METHODSCopper, lead, and cadmium concentrations
were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 37 cataractous
and nine normal human lenses.
RESULTSAll three element accumulations in lenses
with cataract were statistically meaningful. Lenticular copper, lead,
and cadmium were increased significantly with cigarette smoking.
Cadmium had a positive correlation both with lead and copper in
cataractous lenses.
CONCLUSIONThe accumulation of copper, lead, and
cadmium occurs in cataract. The probable source of cadmium in humans is
cigarettes. Lenticular cadmium accumulation also increases copper and
lead precipitation in the lens. Cigarette smoking might be cataractogenic.
Keywords:
cigarettes;
cataract;
copper;
lead;
cadmium
© 1998 by British Journal of Ophthalmology
