Causes of Cataracts

List of causes of Cataracts

Following is a list of causes or underlying conditions (see also Misdiagnosis of underlying causes of Cataracts) that could possibly cause Cataracts includes:

• Aging
• Diabetes
• Eye injury
• Hypoparathyroidism
• Down syndrome
• Congenital rubella syndrome - causing cataracts in newborns of mothers with rubella.
• Radiation injury to eyes
• Uveitis
• Congenital rubella syndrome - causing cataracts in neonates.
• Certain congenital disorders
• Certain metabolic disorders (see Metabolic disorder)
• Certain medications
• Brain cancer - cataracts
• Werner syndrome - cataracts
• Rubella congenital syndrome - Cataracts
• Refsum disease with increased pipecolic acidemia - cataracts
• Proximal myotonic dystrophy - cataracts
• Mental retardation, X-linked, Seemanova type - cataracts
• Lanzietri syndrome - congenital cataracts
• Hypoparathyroidism familial isolated - cataracts
• Galactosemia III - cataracts
• Flynn-Aird syndrome - cataracts
• Deafness - cataracts - skeletal anomalies - cataracts
• Chromosome 6p partial duplication - cataracts
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 2 - cataracts
• Arachnodactyly - ataxia - cataract - aminoaciduria - mental retardation - congenital cataracts
• Absent corpus callosum - cataract - immunodeficiency - cataracts
• Lowe syndrome
• Prednisolone
• PHACE association
• Toxoplasma, congenital
• Diabetes mellitus type 1
• Galactokinase deficiency
• Cushing's syndrome
• Onchocerciasis
• Refsum's disease
• Walker-Warburg Syndrome - cataracts
• Vitreoretinal degeneration - Cataracts
• Verloes Van Maldergem Marneffe syndrome - Cataracts
• Spinal muscular atrophy - Dandy-Walker complex - cataracts - cataracts
• Retinis pigmentosa - deafness - hypogenitalism - cataracts
• Neu-Laxova Syndrome - cataracts
• Muscle-eye-brain syndrome - cataracts
• Inborn amino acid metabolism disorder - cataracts
• Chromosome 10p deletion syndrome - cataracts
• Cataract, congenital, with microcornea or slight microphthalmia - congenital cataracts
• Cataract, autosomal recessive congenital 2 - congenital cataracts
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 3 - cataracts
• Andogsky's syndrome - cataracts
• Fechtner syndrome - congenital cataracts
• Hypothyroidism, congenital
• Diabetes mellitus type 2
• Ultraviolet exposure
• Siegler-Brewer-Carey syndrome - cataracts
• Rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata, type 1 - cataracts
• Oculodentoosseous dysplasia recessive - cataracts
• Oculocerebral syndrome with hypopigmentation - cataracts
• Francois dyscephalic syndrome - cataracts
• Ectodermal dysplasia - cataracts
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 4 - cataracts
• Desmin-related myopathy
• Alström syndrome
• Sialidosis type 1
• Marfan syndrome - cataracts
• Unusual facies, osteosarcoma and malformation syndrome - cataracts
• Rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata, type 2 - cataracts
• Nathalie syndrome - cataracts
• Low-level radiation exposure - cataracts
• Krause syndrome - cataracts
• Cockayne syndrome type 1 - cataracts
• Cennamo-Gangemi syndrome - cataracts
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 5 - cataracts
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 10 - cataracts
• 2q deletion - cataracts
• Alpha-mannosidase deficiency
• Tamoxifen
• Hallermann-Streiff syndrome (HSS)
• Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita
• Rubinstein-Taybi like syndrome - cataracts
• Rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata, type 3 - cataracts
• Plasmalogens synthesis deficiency isolated - cataracts
• Microphthalmis, isolated, with cataract 1 - congenital cataracts
• Conradi-Hunermann syndrome - cataracts
• Chromosome 21q, partial deletion - cataracts
• CCFDN - congenital cataracts
• Cataract-glaucoma - cataracts
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 6 - cataracts
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 11 - cataracts
• Albright's hereditary osteodystrophy - cataracts
• 18p minus syndrome - cataracts
• Low fluid intake, chronic
• Myotonic dystrophy - cataracts
• Alport's syndrome
• Martsolf syndrome
• Cystathionine beta-synthase deficiency
• Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome - Cataracts
• WAGR Syndrome - congenital cataracts
• Trichothiodystrophy - sun sensitivity - cataracts
• Storm syndrome - cataracts
• Spastic paraplegia 9, autosomal dominant - cataracts
• Premature aging, Okamoto type - cataracts
• DOC 12 (Neutral Lipid Storage Type) - cataracts
• Deafness progressive cataract autosomal dominant - cataracts
• Classic galactosemia - cataracts
• Chromosome 15q duplication syndrome - cataracts
• Cerebellum agenesis (see Brain symptoms) - hydrocephaly - cataracts
• Cataract, microphthalmia and nystagmus - congenital cataracts
• Cataract dental syndrome - congenital cataracts
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 7 - cataracts
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 12 - cataracts
• Adolescent cataract and infertility syndrome - cataracts
• Coppock-like cataract
• Hyperferritinemia-cataract syndrome
• Werner's syndrome
• Radiotherapy
• Ornithine ketoacid transaminase deficiency
• Chemical poisoning - Dinitrophenol - cataracts
• Whitaker syndrome - Cataracts
• Warburg Sjo Fledelius syndrome - Cataracts
• TORCH Syndrome - cataracts
• Refsum Disease - cataracts
• Pena-Shokeir syndrome Type 2 - cataracts
• Gottron's syndrome - cataracts
• Fabry's Disease - cataracts
• Cataract, alopecia, sclerodactyly - cataracts
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 8 - cataracts
• Senile cataracts
• Amdoxovir
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome
• Moore-Federman syndrome
• Marshall syndrome - cataracts
• Goldmann-Favre syndrome
• Cicatricial pemphigoid
• Irvine-Gass syndrome
• Xeroderma pigmentosum, type 7 - cataracts
• River Blindness - cataracts
• Microphthalmis, isolated, with cataract 4 - congenital cataracts
• Kniest dysplasia - cataracts
• IBIDS syndrome - congenital cataracts
• Emanuel syndrome - cataracts
• Disorder of Cornification 12 (Neutral Lipid Storage Type) - cataracts
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 9 - cataracts
• Mirhosseini-Holmes-Walton syndrome
• Hypocalcaemia
• CAMFAK syndrome
• Mevalonate kinase deficiency
• Crome syndrome - congenital cataracts
• Glucocorticoids, topical
• Takayasu's arteritis
• Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome, type 1 (SGBS1) - cataracts
• Osteogenesis imperfecta congenita, microcephaly, and cataracts - cataracts
• Mucoepithelial dysplasia, Witkop type - cataracts
• Ichythosiform Erythroderma with Leukocyte Vacuolation - cataracts
• Hornova-Dlurosova syndrome - congenital cataracts
• Congenital Toxoplasmosis - cataracts
• Chorea, remitting with nystagmus and cataracts - cataracts
• Chondrodysplasia Punctata, Rhizomelic type - cataracts
• Norrie's disease
• Galactosemia type 1
• Pars planitis
• Rothmund-Thomson syndrome
• Neurofibromatosis type 2
• Wagner vitreoretinal degeneration syndrome
• Wilkie Taylor Scambler syndrome - Cataracts
• Schäfer syndrome - congenital cataracts
• PIBIDS syndrome - congenital cataracts
• Osteopetrosis lethal - cataracts
• Myotonic dystrophy, type 2 - cataracts
• Mental retardation, X-linked, Armfield type - cataracts
• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Beasley Cohen type - cataracts
• Chondrodysplasia punctata, non rhizomelic type - cataracts
• Chondrodysplasia punctata - cataracts
• Cat Eye Syndrome - cataracts
• Acanthocytosis - cataracts
• Osteoporosis-pseudoglioma syndrome
• Proximal myotonic myopathy
• Fomivirsen sodium
• Rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata
• Nance-Horan syndrome
• Marinesco-Sjogren-Garland syndrome
• Cholestanol storage disease
• Syphilis, congenital
• Sarcoidosis - cataracts
• Zellweger Syndrome - congenital cataracts
• Wellesley Carmen French syndrome - Cataracts
• Vitreoretinochoroidopathy dominant - Cataracts
• Triglyceride storage disease with impaired long-chain fatty acid oxidation - cataracts
• Lowe oculocerebrorenal syndrome - cataracts
• Herpes, Neonatal - Mucocutaneous and Ocular Infection - cataracts
• Galactosemia I - cataracts
• Bhaskar-Jagannathan syndrome - cataracts
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 1 - cataracts
• Alport Syndrome - cataracts
• Wilson's disease
• Fuchs' heterochromic cyclitis
• Foreign body, intraocular
• Desferrioxamine
• CODAS (cerebral, ocular, dental, auricular, skeletal) syndrome
• Nitisinone

More causes: see full list of causes for Cataracts

Causes of Cataracts (Diseases Database):

The follow list shows some of the possible medical causes of Cataracts that are listed by the Diseases Database:

• Ornithine ketoacid transaminase deficiency
• Radiotherapy
• Syphilis, congenital
• Cystathionine beta-synthase deficiency
• Takayasu's arteritis
• Wagner vitreoretinal degeneration syndrome
• Neurofibromatosis type 2
• Glucocorticoids, topical
• Rothmund-Thomson syndrome
• Cholestanol storage disease
• Refsum's disease
• Uveitis
• Ultraviolet exposure
• Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita
• Diabetes mellitus type 2
• Pars planitis
• Hallermann-Streiff syndrome (HSS)
• Irvine-Gass syndrome
• Nitisinone
• Marinesco-Sjogren-Garland syndrome
• Hypothyroidism, congenital
• Onchocerciasis
• Crome syndrome
• Tamoxifen
• Cicatricial pemphigoid
• Mevalonate kinase deficiency
• Down syndrome
• Galactosemia type 1
• Cushing's syndrome
• CODAS (cerebral, ocular, dental, auricular, skeletal) syndrome
• CAMFAK syndrome
• Nance-Horan syndrome
• Hypocalcaemia
• Goldmann-Favre syndrome
• Martsolf syndrome
• Marshall syndrome
• Galactokinase deficiency
• Moore-Federman syndrome
• Alport's syndrome
• Diabetes mellitus type 1
• Alpha-mannosidase deficiency
• Toxoplasma, congenital
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome
• Desferrioxamine
• Norrie's disease
• PHACE association
• Foreign body, intraocular
• Mirhosseini-Holmes-Walton syndrome
• Amdoxovir
• Werner's syndrome
• Sialidosis type 1
• Senile cataracts
• Rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata
• Fomivirsen sodium
• Fuchs' heterochromic cyclitis
• Alström syndrome
• Rubella, congenital
• Proximal myotonic myopathy
• Desmin-related myopathy
• Hyperferritinemia-cataract syndrome
• Myotonic dystrophy
• Low fluid intake, chronic
• Fechtner syndrome
• Osteoporosis-pseudoglioma syndrome
• Prednisolone
• Lowe syndrome
• Coppock-like cataract
• Wilson's disease
• Hypoparathyroidism

Cataracts Causes: Book Excerpts

• Causes and incidence - Cataract
• Causes - Cataract

Cataracts as a complication of other conditions:

Other conditions that might have Cataracts as a complication may, potentially, be an underlying cause of Cataracts. Our database lists the following as having Cataracts as a complication of that condition:

• Aging
• Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome
• Brain cancer
• Chemical poisoning - Titanium
• Down Syndrome
• Familial Granulomatosis, Blau type
• Familial, Systemic, Juvenile Granulomatosis
• Granulomatous arthritis of childhood
• Marfan syndrome
• Pediatric granulomatous arthritis
• Sarcoidosis
• Synovitis granulomatous with uveitis and cranial neuropathies

Cataracts as a symptom:

Conditions listing Cataracts as a symptom may also be potential underlying causes of Cataracts. Our database lists the following as having Cataracts as a symptom of that condition:

• 18p minus syndrome
• 2q deletion
• Absent corpus callosum - cataract - immunodeficiency
• Acanthocytosis
• Adolescent cataract and infertility syndrome
• Albright's hereditary osteodystrophy
• Alport Syndrome
• Andogsky's syndrome
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 1
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 10
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 11
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 12
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 2
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 3
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 4
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 5
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 6
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 7
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 8
• Bardet-Biedl syndrome, type 9
• Bhaskar-Jagannathan syndrome
• Cat Eye Syndrome
• Cataract - aberrant oral frenula - growth delay
• Cataract, alopecia, sclerodactyly
• Cataract-glaucoma
• Cennamo-Gangemi syndrome
• Cerebellum agenesis - hydrocephaly
• Chemical poisoning - Dinitrophenol
• Chondrodysplasia punctata
• Chondrodysplasia punctata, non rhizomelic type
• Chondrodysplasia Punctata, Rhizomelic type
• Chondrodystrophia calcificans congenita
• Chondrodystrophia punctata, autosomal dominant
• Chorea, remitting with nystagmus and cataracts
• Chromosome 1, 1p36 deletion syndrome
• Chromosome 10p deletion syndrome
• Chromosome 11, deletion 11p
• Chromosome 12, Isochromosome 12p Mosaic
• Chromosome 12p tetrasomy syndrome
• Chromosome 15q duplication syndrome
• Chromosome 15q, trisomy
• Chromosome 2, monosomy 2q
• Chromosome 21q, partial deletion
• Chromosome 6p partial duplication
• Classic galactosemia
• Cockayne syndrome type 1
• Congenital Toxoplasmosis
• Conradi-Huenermann Syndrome
• Conradi-Hunermann syndrome
• Deafness - cataracts - skeletal anomalies
• Deafness progressive cataract autosomal dominant
• Deletion 11p
• Deletion 2q
• Disorder of Cornification 12 (Neutral Lipid Storage Type)
• DOC 12 (Neutral Lipid Storage Type)
• Ectodermal dysplasia
• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Beasley Cohen type
• Emanuel syndrome
• Fabry's Disease
• Flynn-Aird syndrome
• Francois dyscephalic syndrome
• Galactosemia I
• Galactosemia III
• Gottron's syndrome
• Herpes, Neonatal - Mucocutaneous and Ocular Infection
• Hypoparathyroidism familial isolated
• Ichythosiform Erythroderma with Leukocyte Vacuolation
• Inborn amino acid metabolism disorder
• Kniest dysplasia
• Krause syndrome
• Low-level radiation exposure
• Lowe oculocerebrorenal syndrome
• Marshall syndrome
• Mental retardation, X-linked, Armfield type
• Mental retardation, X-linked, Seemanova type
• Microcephaly, hiatal hernia and nephrotic syndrome
• Monosomy 1p36
• Mucoepithelial dysplasia, Witkop type
• Muscle-eye-brain syndrome
• Myotonic Dystrophy
• Myotonic dystrophy, type 2
• Nathalie syndrome
• Nephrosis neuronal dysmigration Syndrome
• Neu-Laxova Syndrome
• Oculocerebral syndrome with hypopigmentation
• Oculodentoosseous dysplasia recessive
• Osteogenesis imperfecta congenita, microcephaly, and cataracts
• Osteopetrosis lethal
• Pallister Killian Mosaic Syndrome
• Pallister Mosaic Syndrome Tetrasomy 12p
• Pena-Shokeir syndrome Type 2
• Plasmalogenes synthesis deficiency isolated
• Plasmalogens synthesis deficiency isolated
• Premature aging, Okamoto type
• Proximal myotonic dystrophy
• Refsum Disease
• Refsum disease with increased pipecolic acidemia
• Retinis pigmentosa - deafness - hypogenitalism
• Rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata, type 1
• Rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata, type 2
• Rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata, type 3
• River Blindness
• Rubella congenital syndrome
• Rubinstein-Taybi like syndrome
• Siegler-Brewer-Carey syndrome
• Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome, type 1 (SGBS1)
• Spastic paraplegia 9, autosomal dominant
• Spinal muscular atrophy - Dandy-Walker complex - cataracts
• Storm syndrome
• TORCH Syndrome
• Trichothiodystrophy - sun sensitivity
• Triglyceride storage disease with impaired long-chain fatty acid oxidation
• Unusual facies, osteosarcoma and malformation syndrome
• Van Bogaert disease
• Van Bogaert's disease
• Van Bogaert-Scherer-Epstein Disease
• Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis - Teratogenic Agent
• Verloes Van Maldergem Marneffe syndrome
• Vitreoretinal degeneration
• Vitreoretinochoroidopathy dominant
• WAGR Syndrome
• Walker-Warburg Syndrome
• Warburg Sjo Fledelius syndrome
• Wellesley Carmen French syndrome
• Wellesley-Carman-French Syndrome
• Werner syndrome
• Whitaker syndrome
• Wilkie Taylor Scambler syndrome
• Xanthomatosis cerebrotendinous
• Xeroderma pigmentosum, type 7

Medications or substances causing Cataracts:

The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible causes of Cataracts as a symptom. This list is incomplete and various other drugs or substances may cause your symptoms. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Steroids
• Corticosteroids
• Certain toxins
• Phenothiazines
• Deferoxamine Mesylate
• more drugs...»

See full list of 114 medications causing Cataracts

Medical news summaries relating to Cataracts:

The following medical news items are relevant to causes of Cataracts:

• Cataracts due to diet
• Diabetic eye problems
• Lupus can be difficult to diagnose because of it's multitude of symptoms
• More news »

Related information on causes of Cataracts:

As with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Cataracts may be found in:

• Risk factors for Cataracts
• Medications that may cause Cataracts
• Genetics of Cataracts
• Hidden causes of Cataracts

Causes of Cataracts: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the causes of Cataracts.

Cataract: Causes and incidence
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Cataracts have various causes:

❑ Senile cataracts develop in elderly patients, probably because of degenerative changes in the chemical state of lens proteins.

❑ Congenital cataracts occur in neonates as genetic defects or as a sequela of maternal rubella during the first trimester. They acquire them through autosomal dominant inheritance, which will occur even if only one parent passes it along. Fifty percent of children in such families are affected.

❑ Traumatic cataracts develop after a foreign body injures the lens with sufficient force to allow aqueous or vitreous humor to enter the lens capsule. Trauma may also dislocate the lens.

❑ Complicated cataracts develop as secondary effects in patients with uveitis, glaucoma, or retinitis pigmentosa, or in the course of a systemic disease, such as diabetes, hypoparathyroidism, or atopic dermatitis. They can also result from exposure to ionizing radiation or infrared rays.

❑ Toxic cataracts result from drug or chemical toxicity with prednisone, ergot alkaloids, dinitrophenol, naphthalene, phenothiazines, or pilocarpine or from extended exposure to ultraviolet rays.

Cataracts occur as part of the aging process and are most prevalent in people older than age 70.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Cataract: Causes
(Handbook of Diseases)

Cataracts have various causes, depending on their type:

❑ Senile cataracts develop in elderly patients, probably because of degenerative changes in the chemical state of lens proteins.

❑ Congenital cataracts occur in neonates as genetic defects or as a result of maternal rubella during the 1st trimester.

❑ Traumatic cataracts develop after a foreign body injures the lens with sufficient force to allow aqueous or vitreous humors to enter the lens capsule.

❑ Complicated cataracts develop as secondary effects in patients with uveitis, glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, or a detached retina or in the course of a systemic disease, such as diabetes, hypoparathyroidism, or atopic dermatitis. These cataracts can also result from exposure to ionizing radiation or infrared rays.

❑ Toxic cataracts result from prolonged drug or chemical toxicity from prednisone, ergot alkaloids, naphthalene, or phenothiazines; they also result from excessive exposure to sunlight.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

 » Next page: Risk Factors for Cataracts

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