Cataracts

Question 1

What are the majority of cases of cataracts due to?

Answer 1

• Age related
• UV light

Question 2

What are some systemic causes of cataracts?

Answer 2

• Diabetes mellitus
• Steroids
• Infection (congenital rubella)
• Metabolic (hypocalcaemia, galactosaemia)
• Myotonic dystrophy, Down’s syndrome

Question 3

What are some occular causes of cataracts?

Answer 3

• Trauma
• Uveitis
• High myopia
• Topical steroids

Question 4

Cataracts are classifed into what?

Answer 4

• Nuclear
• Polar
• Subscapsular
• Dot opacities.

Question 5

What happens in nuclear cataracts?

Answer 5

There is a change in the refractive index of the lens.

This is common in old age.

Question 6

What happens in polar cataracts?

Answer 6

These are localized and commonly are inherited.

They lie in the visual axis.

Question 7

What are subscapsular cataracts mainly due to?

Answer 7

These are commonly due to steroid use.

Question 8

Dot opacities are common in normal lenses.

What other conditions are cataracts with dot opacities due to?

Answer 8

Diabetes

Myotonic dystrophy.