Cataract causes
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Cataract Microchapters |
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Treatment |
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Case Studies |
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Cataract causes On the Web |
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Cataract causes |
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] , Associate Editor-In-Chief: Joseph Nasr, M.D.[2]
Causes
Cataracts develop as a result of processes that disrupt the normal structure, organization, and transparency of the crystalline lens, most commonly due to denaturation and aggregation of lens proteins. Aging is the most common cause of cataract formation and reflects the cumulative effects of metabolic and oxidative stress on lens proteins and fiber cells over time.
Systemic diseases may contribute to cataract development. Diabetes mellitus is associated with earlier onset of cataracts, likely due to chronic metabolic stress within the lens related to hyperglycemia.
Environmental and occupational exposures also play an important role. Long-term ultraviolet radiation exposure, ionizing radiation, and infrared radiation are associated with increased risk of cataract formation. Commercial airline pilots have been reported to have a higher prevalence of cataracts than individuals in non-flying occupations, likely due to increased exposure to cosmic radiation.[1] Cataracts are also unusually common in individuals exposed to infrared radiation, such as glassblowers, and exposure to microwave radiation has been reported to induce cataract formation.
Certain medications are known to induce cataracts. Prolonged corticosteroid use is a well-recognized cause, particularly associated with the development of posterior subcapsular cataracts.[2][3] Other medications reported to be associated with cataract development include ciclesonide, ezetimibe, and oxcarbazepine.
Cataracts may also result from ocular trauma, including blunt or penetrating injury, as well as from prior intraocular surgery or chronic intraocular inflammation. Congenital and genetic factors are important causes of cataracts presenting at birth or early in life, and a positive family history may predispose individuals to cataract development at a younger age, a phenomenon described as anticipation in presenile cataracts.
Cataracts may be partial or complete, stationary or progressive, and may vary in consistency from soft to hard. They are further classified by morphology (e.g., nuclear, cortical, mature, hypermature) and by anatomic location (e.g., posterior, classically associated with steroid use, and anterior, commonly related to aging).[4]
Causes by Organ System
| Cardiovascular | No underlying causes |
| Chemical/Poisoning | No underlying causes |
| Dental | No underlying causes |
| Dermatologic | No underlying causes |
| Drug Side Effect | Aflibercept, Beclometasone dipropionate, Clomifene, Ciclesonide, Cidofovir, Corticosteroids, Deferasirox, Desogestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol, Dexamethasone, Difluprednate, Eltrombopag, Ezetimibe, Nilutamide, Oxcarbazepine, Pegaptanib, Pramipexole, Tafluprost, Travoprost |
| Ear Nose Throat | No underlying causes |
| Endocrine | No underlying causes |
| Environmental | No underlying causes |
| Gastroenterologic | No underlying causes |
| Genetic | No underlying causes |
| Hematologic | No underlying causes |
| Iatrogenic | No underlying causes |
| Infectious Disease | No underlying causes |
| Musculoskeletal/Orthopedic | No underlying causes |
| Neurologic | No underlying causes |
| Nutritional/Metabolic | No underlying causes |
| Obstetric/Gynecologic | No underlying causes |
| Oncologic | No underlying causes |
| Ophthalmologic | No underlying causes |
| Overdose/Toxicity | No underlying causes |
| Psychiatric | No underlying causes |
| Pulmonary | No underlying causes |
| Renal/Electrolyte | No underlying causes |
| Rheumatology/Immunology/Allergy | No underlying causes |
| Sexual | No underlying causes |
| Trauma | No underlying causes |
| Urologic | No underlying causes |
| Miscellaneous | No underlying causes |
Causes in Alphabetical Order
- List the causes of the disease in alphabetical order. You may need to list across the page, as seen here
References
- ↑ Rafnsson, V. "Cosmic radiation increases the risk of nuclear cataract in airline pilots: a population-based case-control study". Arch Ophthalmol. 123: 1102–1105. Unknown parameter
|coauthors=ignored (help) - ↑ SPENCER R, ANDELMAN S. "STEROIDSAREBAD CATARACTS. POSTERIOR SUBCAPSULAR CATARACT FORMATION IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PATIENTS ON LONG TERM STEROID THERAPY". Arch Ophthalmol. 74: 38–41. PMID 14303339.
- ↑ Greiner J, Chylack L (1979). "Posterior subcapsular cataracts: histopathologic study of steroid-associated cataracts". Arch Ophthalmol. 97 (1): 135–44. PMID 758890.
- ↑ Chen SP, Woreta FA, Chang DF. Cataracts: A Review. JAMA. 2025;333(23):2093–2103. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.1597