children s health issues
Congenital Cataract
Introduction
A congenital cataract is a painless clouding of the lens that is present at birth or shortly after birth. (See also Cataract in adults.) Congenital cataracts have many causes. They may be inherited (multiple Overview of Chromosome and Gene Disorders ), related to disorders of metabolism (such as Congenital cataracts may affect only one or both eyes. As with other cataracts, the clouding of the lens sometimes blocks vision. Some cataracts cover only part of the lens (partial cataracts), and cloudiness begins during the first 10 years of life. Vision is better in eyes that have partial cataracts. 