Causes & Risk Factors of Cataracts

A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye and has a negative effect on vision. Cataracts are very common in older adults. According to the National Eye Institute, by age 80, more than half of Americans have a cataract or have had cataract surgery.

Formation

• Because of aging or other issues, the lens of the eye may undergo changes that cause the protein fibers that make up the lens to clump together, forming a cataract. Once the cataract reaches a certain size, vision becomes obscured.

Secondary Cataract

• Not all cataracts are related to aging. Secondary cataracts can form in people who have recently had eye surgery. Secondary cataracts may also be caused by diabetes or steroid use.

Traumatic Cataract

• Traumatic cataracts are caused by eye injury. Traumatic cataracts may develop many years after the initial injury.

Congenital Cataract

• Congenital cataracts are a genetic defect that affects newborns and infants. Some congenital cataracts are too small to interfere with the newborn's vision and do not require treatment.

Radiation

• Exposure to some types of radiation may cause cataracts to form.

Risk Factors

• According to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Research, everyone is at risk for cataracts. This is because the greatest risk factor for developing cataracts is the natural changes that take place within the lens of the eye as we age. Excessive exposure to sunlight, smoking, diabetes and a family history of cataracts increase the age-related risks.