Health encyclopaedia

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Causes of Cataracts

Most cataracts are caused by changes in the lens of the eye. To stay healthy, the lens needs to be supplied with nutrients. If this supply is interrupted for any reason, the lens can become cloudy. This can happen for a number of reasons, including:

• eye injuries,
• aging,
• certain medications such as steroids,
• certain diseases, and· congenital cataracts (present from birth).

Age related cataracts are the most common type of cataract. The normal process of aging can make the lens harden and turn cloudy.

Congenital cataracts may be inherited or they may be caused by an infection before birth.

Injuries to the eye, such as sudden force from a flying stone, or sharp poke in the eye, can cause a cataract to develop. If the eye lens gets a hole in it (puncture) or is torn, a cataract is even more likely to develop.

Certain diseases, such as diabetes, can cause a cataract to occur at an earlier age than normal. This is called a secondary cataract, and may develop ten years earlier than in non-diabetic people.

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