SSRIs Linked to Cataracts

Use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants may be associated with cataract risk among older adults, a large population study from Canada found.

f the relationship is proven to be causal, roughly 22,000 cataract cases in the U.S. each year could be attributed to SSRI use, Etminan's group estimated. According to background information in the study, 10% of U.S. residents are taking antidepressants, mostly SSRIs and newer selective serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).

Serotonin receptors are found in the lens of the eye. In animal studies, serotonin has been shown to play a role in opacification of the lens and formation of cortical cataracts, the researchers noted.

Older-generation antidepressants, particularly amitriptyline (Elavil), have also been associated with increased risk of cataracts, but it wasn't clear whether the newer-generation of receptor-selective antidepressants would have the same effect, Etminan's group wrote.