Definition: A congenital cataract is a cloudiness of the lens of the eye that a child is born with or develops soon after birth.
A congenital cataract can occur in one or both eyes. The patient is at risk of losing vision or even blindness if cloudiness is significant or is located in the line of sight.
A congenital cataract can occur because of developmental reasons or from infection, trauma or certain metabolic syndromes that may occur in the womb. Premature infants are also at risk of developing congenital cataracts.
