Does Exposure to Indoor Cooking Smoke Increases the Risk of Cataracts? Can We Prevent Cataracts by Introducing Improved Cooking Stove?

Introduction According to the World Health Organization, at present there are 45 million people blind, worldwide, and 135 million are visually disabled, and depend on family support or care on a daily basis. Annually about 1-2 million people become blind and cataract is a major cause of blindness accounting for more than 50 percent of blindness burden. Prevalence of cataract is higher in developing countries, and in those countries more women than men are blind. In Nepal alone, every year about 60,000 people get cataracts. Although cataract prevalence is higher among women, cataract surgical coverage rate is 1.2-1.7 times lower for them. For example in Nepal, men aged 65-67 years have been found receiving 40 percent more cataract-related services than women in the same age group. In the 75+ age group, men have been found receiving 70 percent more surgery than women[2].