Smoking ofbeedies andcataract: cadmiumand vitamin C inthelensandblood

Estimation ofcadmiumandvitaminC was performed inthebloodandlensofsmokersinthreeage groups up toa maximum age of58,habituated tosmokinga minimum of10beedies a dayformany years, as wellas thoseofnon-smokersinthe same age groups.Onlynuclearcataracts withor withoutposterior or anterior subcapsular cataractwere chosen.Itwas foundthatthere was a significant accumulation ofcadmiuminboththebloodand thelensofthesmokers. Suchan accumulation ofcadmium mighthavea rolein cataractogenesis inchronicsmokers. Ina similarexperiment, withsmokersand non-smokersoftwo age groups up to a maximum age of 40, both without cataract,increasedlevelsof cadmium were foundinthebloodofsmokersonly, thoughtheextentofaccumulation was not ashighasinchronic smokersofhigher age groups. VitaminC contentoflenswas on thelowersideofnormalinbothchronic smokersofbeedies inthetwo age groups and non-smokerswithnuclearcataract withor withoutposterior and anterior subcapsular cataract,and therewas no significant changebrought aboutbysmoking.VitaminC levelsin bloodwere towardsthelowersideofthenormalin smokersandnon-smokers withandwithoutcataract. (BrJOphthalmol 1995; 79:202-206)