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Hyperopia may exert a protective effect against senile cataracts: Evidence from a Mendelian randomization study
Guoqing Wang1,2, Xianglong Yi1,2
1Department of Ophthalmology, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China.
Medicine
|March 18, 2025
Summary
Hyperopia, or farsightedness, may protect against cataracts, unlike myopia. This genetic study found a reduced risk of cataracts and cataract surgery in individuals with hyperopia, offering new insights into cataract development.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology and Genetics
- Investigating the genetic underpinnings of refractive errors and their impact on ocular health.
Background:
- Myopia is a known cataract risk factor, but the hyperopia-cataract relationship is unclear.
- Distinct refractive profiles suggest hyperopia might offer protection against cataracts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causal association between hyperopia and cataract development using genetic methods.
- To explore potential biological pathways and shared genetic factors linking hyperopia and cataracts.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) framework to assess causality.
- Employed multivariable MR, inverse variance weighted (IVW) method, and sensitivity analyses.
- Conducted Bayesian colocalization and enrichment analyses to identify shared genetic loci and pathways.
Main Results:
- Hyperopia demonstrated a protective effect against cataracts (OR 0.920, P=0.0029) and cataract surgery (OR 0.811, P<0.0001).
- Multivariable MR confirmed this protective association after adjusting for confounders like smoking, glaucoma, and diabetes.
- Identified a shared causal variant (rs12193446) and potential biological mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Genetic evidence indicates that higher levels of hyperopia are associated with a reduced risk of age-related nuclear cataracts and related surgeries.
- Findings provide novel insights into the pathogenesis of age-related cataracts, highlighting the contrasting roles of myopia and hyperopia.
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