Increased risk of cataract in patients receiving radiotherapy to the eye: a pilot study

Of 507 persons in England and Wales identified as having had radiotherapy to the eye or eyes some years previously (after excluding those who had died and were not traced), information suitable for analysis could be obtained on 165. Of these, 23 had developed other eye disease so that the lens could not be examined. Of the other 142, 32 had certainly and one had probably developed cataract. A cataract operation had been performed on 19 persons, compared with an expected operation rate of four out of 142. The increased risk of cataract after radiotherapy to the eye is probably higher than the fivefold excess these figures for operations suggest.