The incidence of cataracts and the radiation risk of their occurrence in liquidators of the Chernobyl accident, workers in the nuclear industry

The paper presents the results of an assessment of the incidence of cataracts and the radiation risk of their occurrence in the liquidators of the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident, workers in the nuclear industry. The risk of cataracts was calculated using doses of various types of exposure to ionizing radiation per person. To calculate the risk, doses of occupational exposure and doses received during operation in the 30 km zone of the Chernobyl NPP were used. The study was carried out using the information database of NPP workers who took part in the liquidation of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident. The results of the study showed an increase in the incidence of the eye, its adnexa and cataracts during the observation period from 1986 to 2012 among the representatives of both gender groups, which is due to the aging of the cohort. The specific gravity of lens diseases with the structure of the incidence of the eye and its adnexa during this period increased from 3.3% in the age group 20-29 years to 39.0% in the group 70 years and older. The study also shows that the use of doses of different types of exposure to ionizing radiation per person leads to different levels of risk of cataracts. A small excess relative risk of 1 Sv allows one to be cautious about fixing radiation cataracts in senile cataracts. The use of only the total dose from various types of exposure to ionizing radiation can lead to the receipt of correct results for the assessment of the risk of radiation-induced diseases. The absence of the code "Radiation cataract" in ICD10 makes it impossible to correctly analyze its incidence and calculate the risk of its occurrence.