Definition of Congenital cataract:

A congenital cataract is clouding of the lens of the eye that is present at birth. The lens of the eye is normally a clear structure, which focuses light received by the eye onto the retina.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

The number of people born with cataracts is low. In most patients, no specific cause can be found. Possible causes of congenital cataracts include the following:

• Galactosemia
• Chondrodysplasia syndrome
• Congenital rubella syndrome
• Down syndrome (trisomy 21)
• Pierre-Robin syndrome
• Familial congenital cataracts
• Hallerman-Streiff syndrome
• Lowe syndrome
• Trisomy 13
• Conradi syndrome
• Ectodermal dysplasia syndrome
• Marinesco-Sjogren syndrome