Posterior polar cataract (PPC) is a unique form of congenital cataract, which results in defective distance and near vision and affects the patient's daily activities. The inheritance is autosomal dominant, but a sporadic form has also been reported. Various genes have been implicated in the pathogenesis of PPC.
Most posterior polar cataracts are asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic. However, over time posterior subcapsular (PSC) opacities may form around the posterior polar opacity. As the PSC progresses, vision may be severely affected.
Posterior Subcapsular cataract can cause significant reduction in vision because of the central position occupying the papillary area.
Posterior subcapsular cataracts (PSCs) are the most aggressive type of cataract, as they develop the most rapidly.
Posterior subcapsular cataracts are known to develop quickly in the eye. In some cases, patients can go from clear vision to blind in a matter of months.
Inherited Cataracts: Genetic Mechanisms and Pathways New and Old
Cataracts can be categorized by the age they are diagnosed, although diagnosis almost always lags behind the occurrence of lens opacity, sometimes significantly. Congenital and infantile cataracts present between birth and two years of age followed by juvenile cataracts being diagnosed between years two and ten and then presenile cataracts and finally age-related cataracts after 45–55 years of age. Cataracts with a similar age of onset might have different causes. For example, congenital cataracts might be inherited or caused by an intrauterine insult such as viral or parasitic infections, whereas age-related cataracts are associated with environmental insults accumulated over decades with susceptibility to these insults strongly influenced by genetic risk factors.
