Cataract causes
Template:Template Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Causes
Causes
Cataracts develop from a variety of reasons, including long-term ultraviolet exposure, exposure to radiation, secondary effects of diseases such as diabetes, and advanced age; they are usually a result of denaturation of lens proteins. Genetic factors are often a cause of congenital cataracts and positive family history may also play a role in predisposing someone to cataracts at an earlier age, a phenomenon of "anticipation" in pre-senile cataracts. Cataracts may also be produced by eye injury or physical trauma. A study among Icelandair pilots showed commercial airline pilots as three times more likely to develop cataracts than people with non-flying jobs. This is thought to be caused by excessive exposure to radiation coming from outer space.[1] Cataracts are also unusually common in persons exposed to infrared radiation, such as glassblowers who suffer from "exfoliation syndrome". Exposure to microwave radiation can cause cataracts.
Cataracts may be partial or complete, stationary or progressive, hard or soft.
Some drugs can induce cataract development, such as Corticosteroids[2] and Ezetimibe
There are various types of cataracts, e.g. nuclear, cortical, mature, hypermature. Cataracts are also classified by their location, e.g. posterior (classically due to steroid use[2][3]) and anterior (common (senile) cataract related to aging).
- ↑ 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) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 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.