NEW ORLEANS — Taking oral contraceptives for more than 3 years doubles a woman's risk for glaucoma, according to a large population-based study.
"This study is the first to document this risk, and it's important for the general population," said lead investigator Ye Elaine Wang, MD, from the University of California at San Francisco. "Postmenopausal women should be reassured that the study does not prove causative effects, but women who have used oral contraceptives for 3 years or more and who have additional risk factors for glaucoma should be checked annually for the disease during their eye exams."
Dr. Wang presented the findings here at the American Academy of Ophthalmology 2013 Annual Meeting.
Known risk factors for glaucoma include age, race, family history of glaucoma, elevated intraocular pressure, and existing visual field defects.
The cross-sectional study was based on 3406 women 40 years or older who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The participants completed vision and reproductive health questionnaires and underwent eye exams.
The primary outcome measure was self-reported glaucoma, which was not confirmed by any diagnosis, Dr. Wang told Medscape Medical News.
A multivariate analysis, adjusted for confounding factors, found that the use of oral contraceptives for 3 years or more was associated with twice the risk for self-reported glaucoma. These results were consistent regardless of what type of contraceptive the women had used, said Dr. Wang.
