JOURNAL DESCRIPTION
The Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety journal ISSN 1024-6177 was founded in January 1956 (before December 30, 1993 it was entitled Medical Radiology, ISSN 0025-8334). In 2018, the journal received Online ISSN: 2618-9615 and was registered as an electronic online publication in Roskomnadzor on March 29, 2018. It publishes original research articles which cover questions of radiobiology, radiation medicine, radiation safety, radiation therapy, nuclear medicine and scientific reviews. In general the journal has more than 30 headings and it is of interest for specialists working in thefields of medicine¸ radiation biology, epidemiology, medical physics and technology. Since July 01, 2008 the journal has been published by State Research Center - Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center of Federal Medical Biological Agency. The founder from 1956 to the present time is the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, and from 2008 to the present time is the Federal Medical Biological Agency.
Members of the editorial board are scientists specializing in the field of radiation biology and medicine, radiation protection, radiation epidemiology, radiation oncology, radiation diagnostics and therapy, nuclear medicine and medical physics. The editorial board consists of academicians (members of the Russian Academy of Science (RAS)), the full member of Academy of Medical Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, corresponding members of the RAS, Doctors of Medicine, professor, candidates and doctors of biological, physical mathematics and engineering sciences. The editorial board is constantly replenished by experts who work in the CIS and foreign countries.
Six issues of the journal are published per year, the volume is 13.5 conventional printed sheets, 88 printer’s sheets, 1.000 copies. The journal has an identical full-text electronic version, which, simultaneously with the printed version and color drawings, is posted on the sites of the Scientific Electronic Library (SEL) and the journal's website. The journal is distributed through the Rospechat Agency under the contract № 7407 of June 16, 2006, through individual buyers and commercial structures. The publication of articles is free.
The journal is included in the List of Russian Reviewed Scientific Journals of the Higher Attestation Commission. Since 2008 the journal has been available on the Internet and indexed in the RISC database which is placed on Web of Science. Since February 2nd, 2018, the journal "Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety" has been indexed in the SCOPUS abstract and citation database.
Brief electronic versions of the Journal have been publicly available since 2005 on the website of the Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety Journal: http://www.medradiol.ru. Since 2011, all issues of the journal as a whole are publicly available, and since 2016 - full-text versions of scientific articles. Since 2005, subscribers can purchase full versions of other articles of any issue only through the National Electronic Library. The editor of the Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety Journal in accordance with the National Electronic Library agreement has been providing the Library with all its production since 2005 until now.
The main working language of the journal is Russian, an additional language is English, which is used to write titles of articles, information about authors, annotations, key words, a list of literature.
Since 2017 the journal Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety has switched to digital identification of publications, assigning to each article the identifier of the digital object (DOI), which greatly accelerated the search for the location of the article on the Internet. In future it is planned to publish the English-language version of the journal Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety for its development. In order to obtain information about the publication activity of the journal in March 2015, a counter of readers' references to the materials posted on the site from 2005 to the present which is placed on the journal's website. During 2015 - 2016 years on average there were no more than 100-170 handlings per day. Publication of a number of articles, as well as electronic versions of profile monographs and collections in the public domain, dramatically increased the number of handlings to the journal's website to 500 - 800 per day, and the total number of visits to the site at the end of 2017 was more than 230.000.
The two-year impact factor of RISC, according to data for 2017, was 0.439, taking into account citation from all sources - 0.570, and the five-year impact factor of RISC - 0.352.
Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2025. Vol. 70. № 6
DOI:10.33266/1024-6177-2025-70-6-78-83
E.V. Bragin
Review of Research on Cataract Incidence in the Cohort
of Workers Chronically Exposed to Ionizing Radiation
Southern Urals Federal Medical Biophysics Research Centre affiliated, Ozyorsk, Russia
Contact person: Evgeniy Victorovich Bragin, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: The article aims to review the findings of studies that evaluated the incidence of cataracts, certain types of cataracts, and cataract surgery among workers chronically exposed to ionizing radiation during their occupational activities.
Material and methods: The study cohort included all employees of the Mayak Production Association who were hired between 1948 and 1982, 22,377 individuals of whom 25.4 % were females. At the end of the follow-up period, the life status was known for 95 % of the study cohort, of whom 53.5% had deceased and 46.5% were alive. Medical information over the entire follow-up period was available for 97.3 % of workers. The mean cumulative dose of gamma-rays from external exposure was 0.54±0.76 Sv in males and 0.44±0.65 Sv in females. To perform the analyses, estimates of absorbed doses from external and neutron exposure provided by the Mayak Worker Dosimetry System 2008 (MWDS-2008) were used. The relative risk and the excess relative risk per unit dose (ERR/Gy) were calculated based on the maximum likelihood using the AMFIT module of the EPICURE software.
Results: The dose-response analysis based on the linear model taking into account adjustments for non-radiation factors and neutron dose demonstrated the increased incidence risk for all subtypes of cataracts, including cortical, posterior subcapsular, and nuclear cataracts. The excess relative risk per unit radiation dose from external exposure (ERR/Sv) was 0.28 (95 % CI: 0.20–0.37) for total cataracts: 0.63 (95 % CI: 0.49–0.76) for cortical cataracts, 0.91 (95 % CI: 0.67–1.20) for posterior subcapsular cataracts, and 0.47 (95 % CI: 0.35–0.60) for nuclear cataracts. Exclusion of the adjustment for the neutron dose resulted in a decrease in the ERR/Sv of gamma rays from external exposure for all types of cataracts. No significant association of the cataract surgery was observed with the accumulated gamma-ray dose from external exposure; the ERR/Sv was 0.09 (95 % CI: –0/02–0.22).
Conclusion: Studies of the cataract in the cohort of workers chronically exposed to ionizing radiation during the occupational activities provide strong evidence that the senile cataracts and cataract subtypes, including the posterior subcapsular, cortical, and nuclear cataracts, are associated with the external gamma-ray exposure.
Keywords: cataract, incidence, occupational radiation exposure, excess relative risk
For citation: Bragin EV. Review of Research on Cataract Incidence in the Cohort of Workers Chronically Exposed to Ionizing Radiation. Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2025;70(6):78–83. (In Russian). DOI:10.33266/1024-6177-2025-70-6-78-83
References
1. Abraham A.G., Condon N.G., West Gower E. The New Epidemiology of Cataract. Ophthalmol Clin North Am. 2006;19;4:415–425. doi: 10.1016/j.ohc.2006.07.008. PMID: 17067897.
2. Resnikoff S., Pascolini D., Etya’ale D., Kocur I., Pararajasegaram R., Pokharel G.P., Mariotti S.P. Global Data on Visual Impairment in the Year 2002. Bull World Health Organ. 2004;82;11:844–851. PMID: 15640920.
3. Foster A. Cataract and «Vision 2020-the Right to Sight» Initiative. Br J Ophthalmol. 2001;85;6:635–637. doi: 10.1136/bjo.85.6.635. PMID: 11371475.
4. Roodhooft J.M. Leading Causes of Blindness Worldwide. Bull Soc Belge Ophtalmol. 2002;283:19–25. PMID: 12058483.
5. Chylack L.T. Jr., Wolfe J.K., Singer D.M., Leske M.C., Bullimore M.A., Bailey I.L., Friend J., McCarthy D., Wu S.Y. The Lens Opacities Classification System III. The Longitudinal Study of Cataract Study Group. Arch Ophthalmol. 1993;111;6:831–836. doi: 10.1001/archopht.1993.01090060119035. PMID: 8512486.
6. Navarro Esteban J.J., Gutiérrez Leiva J.A., Valero Caracena N., Buendía Bermejo J., Calle Purón M.E., Martínez Vizcaíno V.J. Prevalence and Risk Factors of Lens Opacities in the Elderly in Cuenca, Spain. Eur J Ophthalmol. 2007;17;1:29–37. doi: 10.1177/112067210701700105. PMID: 17294380.
7. Kanthan G.L., Mitchell P., Burlutsky G., Wang J.J. Fasting Blood Glucose Levels and the Long-Term Incidence and Progression of Cataract -- the Blue Mountains Eye Study. Acta Ophthalmol. 2011;89;5:e434–e438. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2011.02149.x. PMID: 21457484.
8. Rahman A., Yahya K., Shaikh A., Fasih U., Zuberi B.F. Risk Factors Associated with Pre-Senile Cataract. Pak J Med Sci. 2011;27;1:145–148.
9. Wu R., Wang J.J., Mitchell P., Lamoureux E.L., Zheng Y., Rochtchina E., Tan A.G., Wong T.Y. Smoking, Socioeconomic Factors, and Age-Related Cataract: The Singapore Malay Eye Study. Arch Ophthalmol. 2010;128;8:1029–1035. doi: 10.1001/archophthalmol.2010.147. PMID: 20697004.
10. Tan J.S., Wang J.J., Younan C., Cumming R.G., Rochtchina E., Mitchell P. Smoking and the Long-Term Incidence of Cataract: the Blue Mountains Eye Study. Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 2008;15;3:155–161. doi: 10.1080/09286580701840362. PMID: 18569810.
11. Otake M., Schull W.J. A Review of Forty-Five Years Study of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors. Radiation cataract. J Radiat Res. 1991;32;Suppl:283–293. doi: 10.1269/jrr.32.supplement_283. PMID: 1762117.
12. Гуськова А.К., Байсоголов Г.Д. Лучевая болезнь человека. М.: Медицина, 1971. 391 с. [Gus’kova A.K., Baysogolov G.D. Luchevaya Bolezn’ Cheloveka = Human Radiation Sickness. Moscow, Meditsina Publ., 1971. 391 p. (In Russ.)].
13. Hall P., Granath F., Lundell M., Olsson K., Holm L.E. Lenticular Opacities in Individuals Exposed to Ionizing Radiation in Infancy. Radiat Res. 1999;152;2:190–195. PMID: 10409329.
14. Chodick G., Bekiroglu N., Hauptmann M., Alexander B.H., Freedman D.M., Doody M.M., Cheung L.C., Simon S.L., Weinstock R.M., Bouville A., Sigurdson A.J. Risk of Cataract after Exposure to Low Doses of Ionizing Radiation: a 20-Year Prospective Cohort Study among US Radiologic Technologists. Am J Epidemiol. 2008;168;6:620–631. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwn171. PMID: 18664497.
15. Minamoto A., Taniguchi H., Yoshitani N., Mukai S., Yokoyama T., Kumagami T., Tsuda Y., Mishima H.K., Amemiya T., Nakashima E., Neriishi K., Hida A., Fujiwara S., Suzuki G., Akahoshi M. Cataract in Atomic Bomb Survivors. Int J Radiat Biol. 2004;80;5:339–345. doi: 10.1080/09553000410001680332. PMID: 15223766.
16. Worgul B.V., Kundiyev Y.I., Sergiyenko N.M., Chumak V.V., Vitte P.M., Medvedovsky C., Bakhanova E.V., Junk A.K., Kyrychenko O.Y., Musijachenko N.V., Shylo S.A., Vitte O.P., Xu S., Xue X., Shore R.E. Cataracts among Chernobyl Clean-Up Workers: Implications Regarding Permissible Eye Exposures. Radiat Res. 200;167;2:233–243. doi: 10.1667/rr0298.1. PMID: 17390731.
17. Cucinotta F.A., Manuel F.K., Jones J., Iszard G., Murrey J., Djojonegro B., Wear M. Space Radiation and Cataracts in Astronauts. Radiat Res. 2001;156;5 Pt 1:460–466. doi: 10.1667/0033-7587(2001)156[0460:sracia]2.0.co;2. PMID: 11604058.
18. Rafnsson V., Olafsdottir E., Hrafnkelsson J., Sasaki H., Arnarsson A., Jonasson F. Cosmic Radiation Increases the Risk of Nuclear Cataract in Airline Pilots: a Population-Based Case-Control Study. Arch Ophthalmol. 2005;123;8:1102–1105. doi: 10.1001/archopht.123.8.1102. PMID: 16087845.
19. Azizova T.V., Bragin E.V., Hamada N., Bannikova M.V. Risk of Cataract Incidence in a Cohort of Mayak PA Workers Following Chronic Occupational Radiation Exposure. PLoS One. 2016;11;10:e0164357. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0164357. PMID: 27723789.
20. Брагин Е.В., Азизова Т.В., Банникова М.В., Фомин Е.П. Заболеваемость катарактой в когорте работников, подвергшихся профессиональному пролонгированному облучению // Офтальмология. 2016. Т.13. № 2. С. 115–121 [Bragin Ye.V., Azizova T.V., Bannikova M.V., Fomin Ye.P. Incidence of Cataract in a Cohort of Workers Exposed to Occupational Prolonged Irradiation. Oftal’mologiya = Ophthalmology. 2016;13;2:115-121 (In Russ.)].
21. Брагин Е.В., Азизова Т.В., Банникова М.В. Риск заболеваемости старческой катарактой в когорте работников предприятия атомной промышленности // Вестник офтальмологии. 2017. № 2. С. 57–63 [Bragin Ye.V., Azizova T.V., Bannikova M.V. Risk of Senile Cataract Incidence in a Cohort of Workers at a Nuclear Industry Enterprise. Vestnik Oftal’mologii = Russian Annals of Ophthalmology. 2017;2:57–63 (In Russ.)].
22. Азизова Т.В., Брагин Е.В., Хамада Н., Банникова М.В. Оценка риска заболеваемости старческой катарактой в когорте работников предприятия атомной промышленности ПО «Маяк» // Медицинская радиология и радиационная безопасность. 2018. Т. 63. № 4. С. 15–21 [Azizova T.V., Bragin Ye.V., Khamada N., Bannikova M.V. Assessment of the Risk of Senile Cataract in a Cohort of Workers of the Nuclear Industry Enterprise PO Mayak. Meditsinskaya Radiologiya i Radiatsionnaya Bezopasnost’ = Мedical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2018;63;4:15–21 (In Russ.)].
23. Azizova T.V., Hamada N., Bragin E.V., Bannikova M.V., Grigoryeva E.S. Risk of Cataract Removal Surgery in Mayak PA Workers Occupationally Exposed to Ionizing Radiation Over Prolonged Periods. Radiat Environ Biophys. 2019;58;2:139–149. doi: 10.1007/s00411-019-00787-0. PMID: 30879144.
24. Azizova T.V., Hamada N., Grigoryeva E.S., Bragin E.V. Risk of Various Types of Cataracts in a Cohort of Mayak Workers Following Chronic Occupational Exposure to Ionizing Radiation. Eur J Epidemiol. 2018;33;12:1193–1204. doi: 10.1007/s10654-018-0450-4. PMID: 30306422.
25. Азизова Т.В., Хамада Н., Григорьева Е.С., Брагин Е.В. Риск различных типов катаракты в когорте работников, подвергшихся профессиональному хроническому облучению // Медицинская радиология и радиационная безопасность. 2020. Т. 65. № 4. С. 48–57 [Azizova T.V., Khamada N., Grigor’yeva Ye.S., Bragin Ye.V. Risk of Various Types of Cataracts in a Cohort of Workers Exposed to Occupational Chronic Irradiation. Meditsinskaya Radiologiya i Radiatsionnaya Bezopasnost’ = Мedical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2020;65;4:48-57 (In Russ.)].
26. Azizova T.V., Grigorieva E.S., Hunter N., Pikulina M.V., Moseeva M.B. Risk of Mortality from Circulatory Diseases in Mayak Workers Cohort Following Occupational Radiation Exposure. J Radiol Prot. 2015;35;3:517–538. doi: 10.1088/0952-4746/35/3/517. PMID: 26082993.
27. Azizova T.V., Grigoryeva E.S., Haylock R.G., Pikulina M.V., Moseeva M.B. Ischaemic Heart Disease Incidence and Mortality in an Extended Cohort of Mayak Workers First Employed in 1948-1982. Br J Radiol. 2015;88;1054:20150169. doi: 10.1259/bjr.20150169. PMID: 26224431.
28. Azizova T.V., Zhuntova G.V., Haylock R., Moseeva M.B., Grigoryeva E.S., Bannikova M.V., Belyaeva Z.D., Bragin E.V. Chronic Bronchitis Incidence in the Extended Cohort of Mayak Workers First Employed during 1948-1982. Occup Environ Med. 2017;74;2:105–113. doi: 10.1136/oemed-2015-103283. PMID: 27647620.
29. Azizova T.V., Bannikova M.V., Grigoryeva E.S., Rybkina V.L. Risk of Malignant skin Neoplasms in a Cohort of Workers Occupationally Exposed to Ionizing Radiation at Low Dose Rates. PLoS One. 2018;13;10:e0205060. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205060. PMID: 30289933.
30. Azizova T.V., Hamada N., Grigoryeva E.S., Bragin E.V. Risk of Various Types of Cataracts in a Cohort of Mayak Workers Following Chronic Occupational Exposure to Ionizing Radiation. Eur J Epidemiol. 2018;33;12:1193–1204. doi: 10.1007/s10654-018-0450-4. PMID: 30306422.
31. Vasilenko E.K., Scherpelz R.I., Gorelov M.V., Stram D.J., Smetanin M.Y. External Dosimetry Reconstruction for Mayak Workers. 2010. AAHP Special Session Health Physics Society Annual Meeting. URL: http://www.hpsl.org/aahp/public/AAHP_Special_Session/ 2010_Salt_Lake_City/pm-1.pdf
32. Khokhryakov V.V., Khokhryakov V.F., Suslova K.G., Vostrotin V.V., Vvedensky V.E., Sokolova A.B., Krahenbuhl M.P., Birchall A., Miller S.C., Schadilov A.E., Ephimov A.V. Mayak Worker Dosimetry System 2008 (MWDS-2008): Assessment of Internal Dose from Measurement Results of Plutonium Activity in Urine. Health Phys. 2013;104;4:366–78. doi: 10.1097/HP.0b013e31827dbf60. PMID: 23439140.
33. ICRP. The 2007 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. ICRP Publication 103. Ann ICRP. 2007;37;2-4:1–332. doi: 10.1016/j.icrp.2007.10.003. PMID: 18082557.
34. Preston D., Lubin J., Pierce D., McConney M. Epicure Users Guide. Seattle, WA, Hirosoft, 1993.
35. Азизова Т.В., Тепляков И.И., Григорьева Е.С. и др. Медико-дозиметрическая база данных «Клиника» работников ПО «Маяк» и их семей // Медицинская радиология и радиационная безопасность. 2009. Т. 54. № 5. С. 26–35 [Azizova T.V., Teplyakov I.I., Grigor’yeva Ye.S. Medical and Dosimetric Database «Clinic» of Workers of the Mayak Production Association and their Families. Meditsinskaya Radiologiya i Radiatsionnaya Bezopasnost’ = Мedical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2009;54;5:26–35 (In Russ.)].
36. NCRP. Guidance on Radiation Dose Limits for the Lens of the Eye. NCRP Commentary No. 26. Bethesda, MD, National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, 2016.
37. Nakashima E., Neriishi K., Minamoto A., Ohishi W., Akahoshi M. Radiation Dose Responses, Thresholds, and False Negative Rates in a Series of Cataract Surgery Prevalence Studies among Atomic Bomb Survivors. Health Phys. 2013;105;3:253–260. doi: 10.1097/HP.0b013e3182932e4c. PMID: 30522249.
38. Neriishi K., Nakashima E., Akahoshi M., Hida A., Grant E.J., Masunari N., Funamoto S., Minamoto A., Fujiwara S., Shore R.E. Radiation Dose and Cataract Surgery Incidence in Atomic Bomb Survivors, 1986-2005. Radiology. 2012;265;1:167–174. doi: 10.1148/radiol.12111947. PMID: 22875798.
39. Neriishi K., Nakashima E., Minamoto A., Fujiwara S., Akahoshi M., Mishima H.K., Kitaoka T., Shore R.E. Postoperative Cataract Cases among Atomic Bomb Survivors: Radiation Dose Response and Threshold. Radiat Res. 2007;168;4:404–408. doi: 10.1667/RR0928.1. PMID: 17903036.
PDF (RUS) Full-text article (in Russian)
Conflict of interest. The author declares no conflict of interest.
Financing. The study was carried out within the framework of the state contract as of 6 June 2024 №11.313.24.2 with Federal medical biological agency titled “Assessment of chronic radiation exposure effects and study of their pathogenesis for improvement of medical provision for personal and population exposed to radiation”.
Contribution. E.V. Bragin – development of the research concept, article authoring, literature review.
Article received: 20.07.2025. Accepted for publication: 25.08.2025.