Question

What is the physiology and pathophysiology of Congenital Cataracts?

Answer 1

Congential cataracts denotes a lens opacity which manifests at birth, while infant cataracts imply a lens opacity which grow during the first year of life. Paediatric cataracts can be denoted as unilateral or bilateral which are based on cause. Other includes hereditary in which one third coexist with other ocular anomalies indicating a part of a multisystem syndrome and the other one third have undetermined reasons.

Causes of congential cataracts include:

* Posterior lenticonus

* Ocular anomalies

* Aniridia

* Hereditary

* Down's syndrome

* Lowe syndrome

* Rubella

* Syphilis

* Metabolic disorders

* Multisystem syndrome

Congential cataracts can be induced by drugs. Regardless of route of administration long term usage of corticosteroids is strongly linked with posterior subcapsular cataract development.