Causes of presenile cataracts extracted at the Halifax Infirmary Hospital, 1976-85.

To identify the main causes of presenile cataract formation, we reviewed the charts of 287 consecutive patients (341 eyes) aged 20 to 49 years who underwent cataract extraction at the Halifax Infirmary Hospital between 1976 and 1985. No cause for cataract formation could be determined in 34% of the patients. The leading identifiable causes were trauma (37% of cases), associated ocular disease (24%), associated systemic disease (14%) and use of medications (9%). There was no difference in sex or use of alcohol or tobacco between the patients with idiopathic cataracts and those in whom cataracts were associated with organic disease.