Hypertension As A Risk Factor of Cataracts

Abstract

Cataracts are a disease that causes clouding of the lens. Approximately 18 million people suffer from blindness caused by cataracts. This disease mainly occurs in the elderly population. Besides age, there are several other risk factors that can trigger cataracts, one of which is hypertension. Patients with hypertension are reported to be at risk for developing cataracts regardless of the type of cataract that occurs. Hypertensive patients with very high blood pressure are considered to have a greater risk of developing cataracts compared to patients with mild hypertension. In addition, the duration of suffering from hypertension is also associated with the risk of developing cataracts. In patients with systemic inflammatory hypertension, it occurs due to an increase in cytokines such as TNF-α, interleukin-6, besides that in hypertensive patients it is also reported that there may be an increase in C-reactive protein levels. Hypertension also causes conformational changes in the lens of the eye, causing disruption of potassium ion transport in the lens epithelial cells. In addition, hypertension can also increase levels of nitrogen monoxide and changes in protein structure which are the pathogenesis of cataracts in humans.