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Causes of early onset cataracts ?

Posted , 19 users are following.

mia91
mia91

Hi everyone,

I've joined this community because I'm rather frustrated at not being able to know the cause for my bilateral cataracts.

I'm female, 22 years old, caucasian, eat very healthily, don't smoke, rarely drink ...

I noticed my first cataract in my right eye when I was 8 and messing around with winking. I was operated on the same year to replace my lens. My left eyesight was always excellent despite slight hypermetropia and it grew even stronger to compensate for the lesser capabilities of the artificial intra-ocular lens in my right eye.

The difference in eyesight always gave me horrible headaches that I just had to deal with. I was prescribed reading glasses to help with those.

Around 2-3 years ago I started noticing that my vision had globally deteriorated and as the months went by, I felt it was getting worse. When I started learning to drive in summer 2012 I realised I had trouble reading signposts and so I went to see my ophthalmologist, the same one who's been assigned me since my first operation (and who performed it). I was convinced somehow a cataract was developing in my left eye.

He examined me and told me I had developed astigmatism in my left eye, but no signs of cataract. He prescribed me some new glasses, saying I would need to wear them constantly, especially when driving.

Despite these glasses, I still had trouble reading signposts and progressively I started losing more vision, my left eyesight started to become ever so slightly foggy.

I finally got an appointment a few days ago and the diagnosis was a second cataract, this time in my left eye.

My Dr. was never able to tell me the cause of these cataracts, I find it very strange that they should appear at such a young age as well as 15 years apart.

I've looked up potential causes and none seem to fit.

I'm the type who likes to have an answer, I feel I need to know everything about me.

Is it genetic ? Those usually present in infancy, not at my age ...

Trauma to the eyes ? Not that I can remember.

Exposure to radiation ? Overexposure to sunlight ?

Nope, I'm light skinned, I stay away from the sun when possible.

If it might be caused by some illness, I'd like to know about it but know one is able to give me answers.

I probably sound whiny, and for that I apologise. I'm just dismayed at the news at the moment, cataracts shouldn't just pop up like this. I want to know why they did.

If anyone has had a similar experience, I'd love to hear what your own doctors might have said. Or if anyone has a link or reference to some studies that might point to what I'm looking for.

Thank you.

1 like, 27 replies

27 Replies

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  • dennis63948
    dennis63948 mia91

    Posted

    If it's any comfort I have a friend who had early onset cataracts when she was in her 30's and she was told that they were genetic. It is something that happens to some people. Hope all turns out well.

  • dennis63948
    dennis63948 mia91

    Posted

    Just realised that I had said the same thing over a year ago. Thought it was a new post! Hope it has all gone ok?
  • franklin62104
    franklin62104 mia91

    Posted

    I was born in 1962 in 1965 dr. Claude Oglesby out of Memphis Tennessee how to perform cataract surgery on me because both my left and right I had cataracts I had 7 surgeries by the time I was ten wasn't done the same as it is now back in 2005 I lost my left eye due to my retina coming loose the retinopathy that was performed did not work and there was bleeding behind the left eye more than likely I will lose my right eye probably from the same thing I was the youngest person ever to have cataract surgery and back then they basically took a needle busted the lens and scrape the whole thing off and that was the end of it now of course I have floaters vitreous fluid that every now and then will leak out and impairment of vision a little bit oh I know that when that vitreous fluid leaks too much that I will more than likely have to have a retinopathy on my right eye this has been a problem for me my whole life just letting you know how lucky you really are to have had it in the later stages of of life rather than as a baby

  • blu.mason
    blu.mason mia91

    Posted

    hi Mia. I'm 17 years old currently. but i got this measurement for cataracts. it says 20 at my left eye. and 24 at my right eye. doctors say it's harmful once it's like around 29 or sth.

    i hav to go to the doctors again next month to check the level again.

    and if it increases, i will have to use medications and eyedrops.

    all i want to kno is that will i go legally blind or sth. cuz i'm still seventeen. there r things that i hav never done sad

    this makes me worry so much.

  • Sue.An
    Sue.An mia91

    Posted

    Hi Mia - sorry you’ve been dealt this bad hand.  Unfortunately you may never really know why.  I am young for a cataract patient too at 53 however I can understand you must be even more upset than I was.  I too started noticing that I couldn’t read road signs or see the soccer jersey numbers of my daughter’s soccer team.  Thought all I needed was a new glasses!  Turned out it was cataracts both eyes and within 7 months of diagnosis I have IOLs implanted.

    One thing my opthamologist said on my first visit is he noticed the eczema on my fingers and hand.  He made a comment that it could be the reason for my early cataracts.  You mention you are fair skinned so I wonder if you’ve ever used steroid creams or been on any steroid medications.  Sure enough when I researched that there is a link between the 2.  

    At least I am thankful the surgery has come a long way.  My mother in law had cataract surgery 15 years ago and I recall how it was for her - thick glasses afterwords and 2 weeks of having to divert her eyes downwards.

    Fortunately the new procedure is virtually painless (going to the dentist is far worse). And the vision you get will be good!

  • victoria54790
    victoria54790 mia91

    Posted

    Hi Mia. I developed cataracts in both eyes at around age 26. I routinely went to the eye doctor every year since I was about 15. I was diagnosed with astigmatism and my vision kept getting worse. One year, the doctor took longer than usual and dilated my eyes. Then he told me I had cataracts and I was the youngest case he’s ever seen. I am healthy, have no medical history really, light skinned and light hair. I’ve had no eye trauma. He has no idea why I have cataracts and no idea why they continue to worsen. Mine are cortical cataracts, which are different than the ones older people typically get. There is no genetic cataracts in my family either. Very strange. 
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