Cataract
Updates to Article Attributes
Cataract is an opacification or thickening of the lens and is the leading cause of blindness in the world 2.
Clinical presentation
Visual deterioration occurs with increasing degrees of severity. The diagnosis is made clinically.
Pathology
Aetiology
Common causes include:
- old age (most common)
- congenital (see: congenital cataract)
- post
traumatic-traumatic - diabetes (osmotic)
- radiation
-
fore.g. theinterventional radiologist so called'radiation-induced cataract'of all radiation exposure risksin the interventional radiologist 1
-
Radiographic features
Ultrasound
Ocular ultrasound is performed when there is suspicion of posterior globe pathology but visualisation of the back of the eye is obscured by the opaque lens.
CT
Especially useful in acute cataract formation with increased fluid within the lens as in traumatic and osmotic cataract (hyperglycaemia) as well as unsuspected lens injury. The affected lens is much hypodenser thanhypodense compared to the otherecontralateral lens with a mean density difference of about 30 HU 3.
Treatment and prognosis
Treatment is surgical removal of the lens which is usually replaced by an intraocular lens implant.
-<li>post traumatic</li>- +<li>post-traumatic</li>
-<li>radiation<ul><li>for the interventional radiologist so called <a href="/articles/radiation-associated-lens-opacities">'radiation-induced cataract'</a> of all radiation exposure risks <sup>1</sup>- +<li>radiation<ul><li>e.g. the <a href="/articles/radiation-associated-lens-opacities">'radiation-induced cataract'</a> in the interventional radiologist <sup>1</sup>
-</ul><h4>Radiographic features</h4><h5>Ultrasound</h5><p>Ocular ultrasound is performed when there is suspicion of posterior globe pathology but visualisation of the back of the eye is obscured by the opaque lens.</p><h5><strong>CT</strong></h5><p>Especially useful in acute cataract formation with increased fluid within the lens as in traumatic and osmotic cataract (hyperglycaemia) as well as unsuspected lens injury. The affected lens is much hypodenser than the othere lens with mean density difference about 30 HU <sup>3</sup>.</p><h4>Treatment and prognosis</h4><p>Treatment is surgical removal of the lens which is usually replaced by an intraocular lens implant.</p><p> </p>- +</ul><h4>Radiographic features</h4><h5>Ultrasound</h5><p>Ocular ultrasound is performed when there is suspicion of posterior globe pathology but visualisation of the back of the eye is obscured by the opaque lens.</p><h5><strong>CT</strong></h5><p>Especially useful in acute cataract formation with increased fluid within the lens as in traumatic and osmotic cataract (hyperglycaemia) as well as unsuspected lens injury. The affected lens is hypodense compared to the contralateral lens with a mean density difference of about 30 HU <sup>3</sup>.</p><h4>Treatment and prognosis</h4><p>Treatment is surgical removal of the lens which is usually replaced by an intraocular lens implant.</p>
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