Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use and increased risk of cataract surgery: A population-based, case-control study

Purpose To investigate whether selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use is associated with an increased risk of cataract surgery. Design Population-based case-control study. Methods setting: Olmsted County, Minnesota. patient population: Eligible patients were county residents in the Rochester Epidemiology Project. Cases included 6024 county residents aged 50+ years who underwent first-eye cataract surgery between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2011. Controls included 6024 residents who never had cataract surgery and were matched to cases by age, sex, and date of surgery. Logistic regression models were used to compute odds ratios for differences in selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use between cases and controls, and to adjust for confounding variables. observation procedure: Rochester Epidemiology Project databases were used to assess cataract surgery and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment. main outcome measure: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use. Results In the cataract surgery cohort of 6024 residents, 1024 (17%) were selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor users compared to 788 (13%) in the matched cohort of 6024 residents never having cataract surgery (P <.001). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use of 1 or more years was associated with an increased risk of cataract surgery (odds ratio [OR] = 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23-1.51; P <.001). The associations were similar in women (OR = 1.37; 95% CI, 1.22-1.55; P <.001) and men (OR = 1.34; 95% CI, 1.12-1.61; P =.002). The risk of cataract surgery was highest with citalopram use (OR = 1.53; 95% CI, 1.33-1.77; P <.001). Conclusion Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use of 1 or more years in people aged 50+ years is associated with an increased risk of cataract surgery.