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To the Editor: Dr West and colleagues¹ demonstrate an association between light and cortical cataracts and the attenuation of cataract development in persons who wear glasses. From this they suggest that there is a causal relationship between UV-B radiation and the development of cortical cataract, but I question whether this is due just to UV-B. This term was developed by dermatologists to define a specific wavelength range in the UV spectrum (290-320 nm) that causes erythema of the skin. This distinguishes it from UV-A (320-400 nm), which does not cause erythema.

There are 3 reasons UV-A cannot be excluded from cataract formation: (1) the amount of UV-B reaching the surface of the lens through the cornea is small, less than 3% of the total UV radiation²; (2) this study discriminated between UV-A and UV-B by determining whether glasses were worn, but plastic glasses now in vogue absorb light out . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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Sunlight Exposure and Risk of Lens Opacities in a Population-Based Study: The Salisbury Eye Evaluation Project
Sheila K. West, Donald D. Duncan, Beatriz Muñoz, Gary S. Rubin, Linda P. Fried, Karen Bandeen-Roche, and Oliver D. Schein
JAMA. 1998;280(8):714-718.
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