Cataracts: The Causes And Symptoms

High Blood Pressure

Prolonged high blood pressure has the potential to cause the development of cataracts in an individual's eye lens. There are two different mechanisms that can make a contribution to this cause. Anti-hypertension medications are known to cause a disruption in the healthy electrolyte balance across the membrane that covers an individual's lens fibers. Additionally, another type of medicine commonly used to treat individuals affected by high blood pressure called beta blockers can increase levels of a molecule that stimulates changes in the lens proteins. These protein alterations can cause the formation of clumps in the lens, or cataracts.

The other mechanism by which high blood pressure can cause the formation of cataracts is due to the intense systemic inflammation that it causes. This type of widespread inflammation is an immune system reaction to the damage high blood pressure is inflicting on blood vessels around the body. Because there are many blood vessels in and around the eyes, concentrated inflammation can occur in that region. This inflammation causes an increase in the levels of C-reactive protein that can induce alterations in the structural arrangement of tissues in the eye lens. These changes are known to stimulate the development of cataracts or clumps of cloudy tissue in the lens.

Eye Injury Or Inflammation

When an individual suffers from an eye injury or inflammation in the eyes, cataracts can form as a result. Cataracts develop when there is a disturbance in the fibers that make up the eye lens. An injury to the eye, such as anything that causes blunt trauma is capable of easily disturbing the lens fibers. Injuries involving any form of penetration to even just the outer layer of the eye can significantly disturb the structural arrangement of the lens fibers. When an injury to the eye or inflammation causes an accelerated breakdown of lens tissues, a cataract may also form.

This type of cataract is considered a traumatic cataract. Inflammation alone has been known to be a trigger for cataracts, as the molecules that accumulate as a result of inflammation can cause lens fiber structure alterations. Any type of injury to the eye or region around the eye will trigger the individual's immune system to produce an inflammatory response that summons such molecules to the site. Eye injury can develop from prolonged radiation exposure from the use of radiation therapy in the treatment of nearby areas of the body.