Cataract is a common and frequent disease in China. The pathogenesis is related to various factors such as age, nutrition, metabolism, environment and genetics. There is no definite conclusion on the exact cause of cataract, and it is generally believed that it is the result of the long-term comprehensive effect of various factors inside and outside the body on the lens. The possible causative factors leading to cataract are as follows.
1. Age: As we grow older, the body will continue to age, just like people will have gray hair and wrinkles, the lens will also be cloudy with different degrees of aging. In general, senile cataracts may appear after the age of 50, and in a few special groups, the time of appearance may be earlier. Therefore, moderate maintenance of the lens after the age of 50 may be helpful in slowing down the development of cataracts.
2. Ultraviolet light: Long-term exposure of ultraviolet light to eye tissues is a relatively clear cause of cataracts at present. The prolonged exposure to sunlight will destabilize the chemical properties of the lens and accelerate its aging process. Therefore, it is necessary to wear UV filtering glasses in outdoor situations.
3. Nutrition and diet: Protein is one of the most important substances in human metabolism. The lens is mainly composed of protein. When the body has malnutrition or nutritional imbalance, the metabolism of protein is affected and the lens will become cloudy. Especially in the elderly, the absorption function of the body decreases and is more prone to abnormalities when the intake of nutrients is inadequate due to excessive abstinence. In addition, smoking and alcohol consumption are also risk factors for cataracts.
4. Metabolism and diseases: For example, diabetes, because of elevated blood sugar, glucose in the lens increases, the crystal absorbs and collects water, and the lens fiber swells and becomes cloudy. This process can happen very quickly, therefore, cataracts in diabetic patients tend to occur faster than ordinary people, and some people may have cataracts ripe in one or two months or even one or two days. Systemic immune system diseases such as leukoaraiosis can lead to eye inflammation, which can also affect the lens and induce cataracts. Hypocalcemia can also lead to cataracts.
5, drugs (including poisoning): the side effects of many drugs are the cause of cataracts. The most common ones in clinical practice are glucocorticoids, which are mostly used for patients with rheumatic joint pain, skin and mucous membrane itching, bronchial asthma, etc. These drugs are fast and effective in relieving the symptoms of the above diseases, therefore, many patients often go to pharmacies to buy and use them on their own, which may lead to cataracts when applied for a long time or when they are sensitive to the drugs. In addition, certain antipsychotic drugs such as chlorpromazine can also induce cataracts. Some patients with glaucoma also have an increased chance of cataracts if they use pupil reduction agents for a long time to lower their intraocular pressure. Excessive or prolonged, high concentration oxygen intake at birth can also lead to cataracts in infants.
6. Other eye diseases: In highly myopic patients, cataracts appear earlier than normal due to longer and thinner eyeballs and abnormal eye metabolism, and many young people can develop more serious cataracts. In addition, patients with uveitis, glaucoma and post vitreoretinal surgery are also more likely to develop cataracts. For young people, they need to pay special attention to the intense pace of life, stress, overtime, abnormal immunity, and the possibility of intermediate uveitis in the eye, when the symptoms of the eye are not obvious and occasional flying mosquitoes may appear, but, slowly, it may lead to cataracts. Trauma to the eye that injures the lens will also cause the original transparency to become cloudy due to damage to the integrity of the lens; 7. Genetic and congenital factors: are the main causes of pediatric cataracts. Heredity is caused by family genetic abnormalities, and such patients often have a family history, and several generations of the bloodline may have the same patients. In contrast, congenital factors are mainly due to abnormalities during maternal pregnancy or birth that lead to cataracts. Such as colds, viral infections, and medications taken during pregnancy.