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Published on: November 28, 2012
Association between trouble sleeping and cataract in US adults: a cross-sectional study
Jun Huang1, Yulan Zhang1, Chao Wu1
1Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
Frontiers in Medicine
|May 11, 2026
Summary
Adults experiencing trouble sleeping have significantly higher odds of developing cataracts. Addressing sleep health may be crucial for effective cataract prevention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Sleep Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Cataracts represent a significant global health burden.
- Sleep problems are increasingly prevalent in adult populations.
- The relationship between sleep disturbances and cataract risk remains underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between trouble sleeping and cataract in US adults.
- To provide insights into potential preventative measures for cataracts.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional analysis of 2,601 US adults (aged ≥40 years) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005-2008).
- Sleep trouble assessed via self-reported diagnosis; cataract status by self-reported history of cataract operation.
- Multiple logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and comorbidity factors.
Main Results:
- Individuals with trouble sleeping demonstrated significantly higher odds of having cataracts (OR = 2.50, 95% CI: 1.35-4.62, p = 0.011) after covariate adjustment.
- Subgroup analyses confirmed the consistency of this association across various demographic and clinical characteristics.
- No significant effect modification was observed between subgroups.
Conclusions:
- Trouble sleeping is significantly linked to increased odds of cataracts among US adults.
- Integrating sleep health into cataract prevention strategies may hold considerable value.
- Further longitudinal research is warranted to establish causality, elucidate mechanisms, and assess the impact of sleep interventions on cataract risk.
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