الفهرس 
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Abstract
Cataract is defined as cloudiness or opacity in the normally transparent crystalline lens of the eye. The lens is a transparent biconvex object, which causes refraction and focuses light onto the retina. Opacity of the lens is a direct outcome of oxidative stress. The lens epithelial cells are highly metabolically active cells which undergo oxidation, crosslinking, and insolubilization. These cells later migrate to the lens center to form lens fibers that are progressively compressed and results in lens nuclear sclerosis leading to opacity.
A growing body of research has addressed risk factors that might contribute to the multifactorial nature of cataract development and preventive factors that might retard their growth.
In public health perspective, risk factors for age-related cataract are readily classified as non-modifiable and potentially modifiable. There are non-modifiable risk factors that may increase the risk of developing cataracts. These include age, family history, and ethnicity. Some studies also suggest that women may be at a slightly higher risk than men in cataract development.
While the potentially modifiable risk factors include smoking, alcohol consumption, sun and fuel exposure, dietary factors, myopia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, renal disorders and steroid drugs.
Methods
The study design was reviewed and formally approved by ethics committee of Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University. Official permission was obtained for conduction of the study in the Munshaat Sultan family health center. Informed consent was obtained from the participants including the nature of study, the objectives and procedures of the study.
The study was a case control study aiming to assess the risk factors among age-related cataract patients among the studied participants. The sample size was calculated based on the assumed odd’s ratio of risk factor in previous study which was OR 4.07 for dyslipidemia (HDL>35gm\dl) in Das et al., 2019 study at level of confidence 95% and power of study 80%, so the estimated number of cases to be enrolled in the study was 250 which was doubled (500) for control group.
All case and control participants were assessed for the risk factors of age related cataract through history taking, physical examination and laboratory investigations. The detailed history was fulfiled through a structured questionnaire including sociodemographic, socioeconomic data and special habits of medical importance (age, sex, occupation, smoking,),environmental risk factors including fuel and sun exposure and medical risk factors including presence of chronic diseases (DM, HTN, renal disorder), drugs (steroids), family history of cataract and nutritional history (food habits) asking about eating vegetables, fruits, fish, milk and dairy products, legumes, nuts, nutritional supplements or vitamins, sugary snacks, soft drinks, and coffee, the physical examination for all cases and control participants including BP estimation and calculating BMI. Mercury device was used for auscultatory office blood pressure measurement, where the subject sits quietly for 5 minutes, seated with his or her back and right arm supported, feet touching the floor, and the arm at heart level. Using the suitable cuff size and rapping the cuff 3 cm above the cubital fossa.
For BMI estimation height in meters was measured; participants were bare footed standing straight. Weight in kilograms was recorded using portable weighting scale with patient bare footed standing straight with heel together. Laboratory assessment included glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) where venous blood samples were collected then added to the buffer and were shacked well to mix the blood with the buffer and through fluorescent immune-chromatography analysing system with fine care TM FIA meter plus device the result was collected.