Diseases » Cataracts » Summary

What is Cataracts?

What is Cataracts?

• Cataracts: Cloudy areas on the eye's cornea interfering with vision.
• Cataracts: Partial or complete opacity of the crystalline lens of one or both eyes that decreases visual acuity and eventually results in blindness. Some cataracts appear in infancy or in childhood, but most develop in older individuals. (Diagnostic Surgical Pathology, 3rd ed.) --2003
  Source - Diseases Database
• Cataracts: clouding of the natural lens of the eye.
  Source - WordNet 2.1

Cataracts: Introduction

Types of Cataracts:

Types of Cataracts:

• Age-related cataract
• Congenital cataract - babies or infants getting cataracts.
• Secondary cataract
• Traumatic cataract - occurring after eye injury.
• more types...»

Broader types of Cataracts:

• Diabetic Eye Disease
• Eye conditions
• Lens disorders
• more types...»

How many people get Cataracts?

Prevalance of Cataracts: 5,500,000 people have a cataract interfering with their vision in the US (Research to Prevent Blindness, NISE, NSF)
Prevalance Rate of Cataracts: approx 1 in 49 or 2.02% or 5.5 million people in USA [about data]
Incidence (annual) of Cataracts: 400,000 new cases of cataract occur each year in the US (Research to Prevent Blindness, NISE, NSF)
Incidence Rate of Cataracts: approx 1 in 679 or 0.15% or 400,000 people in USA [about data]

Who gets Cataracts?

Patient Profile for Cataracts: Mostly older adults, especially over 65.

How serious is Cataracts?

Complications of Cataracts: see complications of Cataracts

What causes Cataracts?

Causes of Cataracts: see causes of Cataracts
Risk factors for Cataracts: see risk factors for Cataracts

What are the symptoms of Cataracts?

Symptoms of Cataracts: see symptoms of Cataracts

Complications of Cataracts: see complications of Cataracts

Can anyone else get Cataracts?

Inheritance: see inheritance of Cataracts

Cataracts: Testing

Diagnostic testing: see tests for Cataracts.

Misdiagnosis: see misdiagnosis and Cataracts.

How is it treated?

Treatments for Cataracts: see treatments for Cataracts
Prevention of Cataracts: see prevention of Cataracts
Research for Cataracts: see research for Cataracts

Society issues for Cataracts

Hospitalization statistics for Cataracts: The following are statistics from various sources about hospitalizations and Cataracts:

• 2.26% (288,109) of hospital episodes were for lens disorders including cataracts in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 100% of hospital consultations for lens disorders including cataracts required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 37% of hospital episodes for lens disorders including cataracts were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 53% of hospital episodes for lens disorders including cataracts were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 0% of hospital admissions for lens disorders including cataracts required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 1.4 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for lens disorders including cataracts in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• more statistics...»

Physician office visits for Cataracts: 3,700,000 visits are made each year to a physicians office because of cataracts in the US (Research to Prevent Blindness, NISE, NSF)
Physician office visit statistics for Cataracts: The following are statistics from various sources about physician office visits and Cataracts:

• 9,790,000 people visited a physician’s office for cataracts in the US 2001 (National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2001)
• more statistics...»

Medical Procedures for Cataracts: over 1.5 million surgeries annually (NEI)

Medical procedure statistics for Cataracts: The following are statistics from various sources about medical procedures and Cataracts:

• 1,350,000 cataract extractions are performed each year in the US (Research to Prevent Blindness, NISE, NSF)
• more statistics...»

Organs Affected by Cataracts:

Organs and body systems related to Cataracts include:

• Eye

Name and Aliases of Cataracts

Main name of condition: Cataracts

Other names or spellings for Cataracts:

Lens opacity Source - Diseases Database

Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, Cataracts:

• Senile cataract
• Medication induced cataract
• Congenital cataract
• Congenital rubella syndrome
• Traumatic caataract

 » Next page: Online Medical Textbooks for Cataracts

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