A clinical review of non-age-related cataracts.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: A cataract is any opacity or partial loss of transparency of the lens, whether the absence of transparency is small or complete. Pupil dilation affords a view of a legion of internal variations and abnormalities of the human crystalline lens which often tell us about its events and insults, as well as when in the patient's life these might have occurred. METHODS: In this article, we review the major non-age-related association of cataractogenesis with respect to metabolic, environmental, ocular-specific, infectious, dermatologic, retinal, and toxic etiologies. The data are presented from the clinical perspective of incidence for a given condition and cataract type. RESULTS: Two simplified summary reference sheets are provided (1) frequency of occurrence vs. etiology and (2) cataract type vs. etiology (color-coded). The busy clinician can refer to both tools chair-side. CONCLUSIONS: The human body has numerous methods of signaling insults and abnormalities. As the crystalline lens is an important gauge of overall health, an argument can be made for routine dilation of all patients. This information is also essential for future neutraceutical and pharmaceutical therapeutic intervention.