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

 

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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.