Cataracts
Cause
A cataract occurs when the lens inside your eye becomes cloudy. Factors associated with clouding include:
- Aging (age-related cataracts).
- Overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, such as from sunlight, tanning booths, or sunlamps.
- Diabetes. Diabetes, especially when the blood sugar levels are above the safe range, causes changes in the eye that can result in cataracts.
- Disease inside the eye, such as glaucoma, long-term (chronic) uveitis, retinitis pigmentosa, or retinal detachment.
- Long-term use of steroid medicines.
- Frequent X-rays or radiation treatments to the head.
- Family history (genetics). A person may inherit the tendency to develop cataracts.
- Vitrectomy. People older than age 50 who have had the vitreous gel removed from their eye (vitrectomy) have an increased risk of cataracts. Some studies show that up to 80% of older people develop cataracts between 6 months and 3 years after vitrectomy.1
- Eye injury. Even though injury-related cataracts are rare, injury is a leading cause of cataracts in children.
- Being born with cataracts (congenital). Some children are born with the condition.
 Go to previous section |  Go to top of page |  Go to next section |
| Author: | Alison Allen Jeannette Curtis | Last Updated: November 20, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine Christopher J. Rudnisky, MD, FRCSC - Ophthalmology | |
 | ||
