RT - Journal TY - JOUR A1 - Gupta, Varun A1 - Rajagopala, Manjusha A1 - Ravishankar, Basavaiah T1 - Etiopathogenesis of cataract: An appraisal YR - 2014/2/1 JF - Indian Journal of Ophthalmology JO - Indian J Ophthalmol SP - 103 OP - 110 VO - 62 IS - 2 UL - https://journals.lww.com/ijo/pages/default.aspx/article.asp?issn=0301-4738;year=2014;volume=62;issue=2;spage=103;epage=110;aulast=Gupta;t=5 DO - 10.4103/0301-4738.121141 N2 - Natural eye lens is a crystalline substance to produce a clear passage for light. Cataract is opacity within the clear lens of the eye and is the dominant cause of socio-medical problem i.e., blindness worldwide. The only available treatment of cataract is surgery. However, insufficient surgical facilities in poor and developing countries and post-operative complications inspire researchers to find out other modes of treatment for cataract. In this review, an attempt has been made to appraise various etiological factors of cataract to make their perception clear to build up counterpart treatment. Present study is an assortment of various available literatures and electronic information in view of cataract etiopathogenesis. Various risk factors have been identified in development of cataracts. They can be classified in to genetic factors, ageing (systemic diseases, nutritional and trace metals deficiencies, smoking, oxidative stress etc.), traumatic, complicated (inflammatory and degenerative diseases of eye), metabolic (diabetes, galactosemia etc.), toxic substances including drugs abuses, alcohol etc., radiation (ultraviolet, electromagnetic waves etc.) are implicated as significant risk factors in the development of cataract. ER -