The use of second-generation antipsychotics in people with schizophrenia is associated with an increased risk of cataracts, researchers report.

Taiwanese researchers used registry data on more 13,000 patients with schizophrenia to compare cataract risk in patients taking first- and second-generation antipsychotics.

Among more than 10,000 matched patients (one-third taking first-generation drugs and two-thirds taking second-generation), those on second-generation therapy had a 59% greater risk of developing cataracts than those on first-generation antipsychotics.

Breaking the results down by individual second-generation antipsychotics, clozapine and olanzapine (known to be high-metabolic risk therapies) increased the risk of cataract 2.6-fold, while other second-generation drugs did not have a statistically significant effect on cataract risk.