Etiology of Childhood Cataract

The main causes of infantile cataract are genetic, metabolic disorders, prematurity and intrauterine infections. Other causes of childhood cataract in older children include trauma, drug-induced cataract, radiation therapy and laser therapy for ROP. Trauma is one of the commonest cause of unilateral cataract in the developing countries. Bilateral cataracts occur commonly due to the long-term use of topical or systemic steroid therapy. In industrialized countries, in approximately 50% of bilateral cases and virtually all of the unilateral cases, the underlying cause usually can not be determined. (Figure 1) Zonular cataract is the commonest type of congenital cataract.