Occupational Radiation Cataract Risk in Healthcare Workers: A Five-Year Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Research Objective: This systematic review investigates the classification of radiation cataracts among healthcare workers, following PRISMA guidelines. Only studies focused on healthcare workers were included. Research Methods : The review covered January 2021 to December 2025, using PubMed, Web of Science, and EBSCO, identifying 288 publications. After screening, 11 studies were included. A random-effects meta-analysis with Stata 17 assessed cataract prevalence across departments. Results: Radiation cataracts prevalence was 39%, 95% CI [28%, 51%], P < 0.00001.For healthcare workers, the prevalence of posterior subcapsular cataracts was 29%, 95% CI [13%, 45%], P = 0.0004. Unlike previous reviews, a statistically significant difference was observed in the single-group incidence of radiation-induced cortical cataracts among healthcare workers (P=0.001; incidence 17%, 95% CI [9%, 26%]), indicating increasing attention to cortical cataracts. Subsequently, analysis of two departments revealed a significant difference in interventional cardiology personnel (P=0.01, prevalence 18%, 95% CI [4%, 33%]) compared to radiology departments (P=0.053, prevalence 9%, 95% CI [0%, 18%]). Conclusion : This study demonstrates significant variations in cortical cataract incidence among occupationally exposed healthcare workers, particularly within interventional cardiology departments. These findings offer novel perspectives for the treatment and prevention of radiation-induced cataracts.