Analysis of clinical profile and risk factors of cataract in patients aged between 20 to 50 years at a tertiary eye care center

Cataract is thought to be the most common cause of blindness worldwide. Moreover,lens opacities have an early onset in Indians compared to the industrialized nations. The search for the alterable risk factors that affect the occurrence of cataract has prompted investigators to explore the possible links between cataract and the various modifiable associations

Risk factors for the development of cataract include heredity, age, diabs, oral or inhaled steroid therapy, exposure to UV-B radiation, poor nutrition, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption Cataract which develops beteefore the age of 50 years are called presenile cataract. Very few studies have analyzed the association between presenile cataract and the many associated risk factors. Adding to the various above mentioned associations, atopy and high myopia have shown to be considerably associated with the development of presenile cataract,  patients from different walks of life form the clientele of our sankara eye hospital shivamogga, a tertiary eye care centre, and each group may be exposed to distinctive set of risk factors due to the varied standard of living and access to healthcare. The present study will help us to understand better the relationship between the various associations of presenile cataract and also to deduce various  preventive measures for the modifiable associated factors.