Objective: To study the demographic profile and risk factors for cataract in young adults

Materials and methods: It’s a cross sectional observational study conducted between 2021-2022 at a tertiary health care centre.100 patients with cataract between age of 20-45 years were selected. Risk factors like diabetes, field work (exposure to sunlight), high myopia, smoking were noted. Morphological type of cataract was determined with slit lamp examination.

Results: Out of 100 patients there were 49males (mean age of 38) and 51 females (mean age of 36), most of them had unilateral cataract(73%).53 % of patients had idiopathic cataract where no risk factors were identified, among identifiable risk factors field work was the strongest risk factor(11%) followed by diabetes and smoking. Posteriorsubcapsular cataract was the most common type of cataract (51%).

Conclusion: In majority of patients risk factor for cataract was found to be idiopathic, field work or excessive sunlight exposure was the strongest identifiable risk factor for cataractogenesis in young adults followed by diabetes and smoking, and posterior subcapsular cataract was the most common type of cataract at presentation