Could A Daily Statin Increase Your Risk Of Cataracts?

Taking a statin can help to lower your cholesterol, but did you know it can also increase your risk of developing cataracts in some instances.

"The benefits of statins are far outweighed by any small risk for cataract surgery," said Dr. G.B. John Mancini, a professor of medicine at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, via WebMD. "However, the indication for statin use should be solid from the outset and fully understood by patients."

Statins such as Crestor, Lipitor and Zocor have been found to increase the risk of vision issues in as many as 27 percent, even though it can protect many from heart attack and stroke.

A recent study published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology examined data from 2000 to 2007 and the IMS LifeLink U.S. database from 2001 to 2011. They looked at more than 207,000 adults with cataracts and over 1.1 million without the health issues.

Findings revealed that those who took statins for at least a year had a 27 percent increased risk of developing cataracts that needed surgery.

Though surgery to remove cataracts is a relatively straightforward procedure, a serious complication--though rare--can occur when a skin or membrane grows over the back of the lens implant months or years later, following surgery. Yet typically, the operation involves a tiny cut in the eye that so that the affected lens can be removed. The surgery would then insert a small plastic lens in its place.