The Archives of Ophthalmology has reported a study of French people which found those exposed to high levels of solar radiation were up to four times more likely to develop cataracts. Scientists from the Institut de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM) studied 2,584 residents of the French town of Sete. The published research has suggested that sunlight may be directly responsible for increasing the clouding of the eye's lens. Dr Cecile Delcourt who led the team told BBC Online: 'We have little data concerning the ways to reduce the sunlight-related risk of cataract. However, I would advise mostly avoiding sunlight exposure at midday, wearing a hat and sunglasses.' Dr Delcourt also said that in INSERM's study, as well as previous papers, the effect of sunlight seemed to be cumulative. A consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital was reported as saying that previous research had linked cataract formation to light exposure, and the use of simple preventative measures was particularly important in an increasingly elderly population. coatings specialists agree partnership deal German ophthalmic coatings company Balzers Leybold Optics (BL) and US-based Intermountain Anti-Reflective Coatings (IARC) have agreed to form a 'strategic partnership'. Wayne Burlingham (left), president of IARC, Bill Cella, sales manager of Balzers Thin Film, and Juergen Meinel (right), president of Balzers Leybold Optics are pictured shaking hands on the agreement. The deal will initially mean BL installing a coating system and relocating personnel to provide improved AR-coating processes for the US company.