The mean follow-up periods of the cataract cohort and the non-cataract cohort were 6.31 (SD = 3.15) and 5.92 (SD = 3.24) years, respectively. Fig. 1 showed that the cumulative incidence of PAOD was higher in the cataract cohort than in the non-cataract cohort for 2.36% (P < 0.001) by the end of follow-up.