Acquired cataract

Signs and symptoms

A cataract is an opacity or cloudiness on or in the lens or capsule of the eye.  A congenital cataract is present at birth but an acquired cataract develops after birth.  Symptoms are visual - blurred vision, problems with glare, altered colour perception and double vision when using one eye (monocular diplopia).  Some of these symptoms may be associated with refractive error, or presbyopia - which is part of the normal ageing process. Examination with an ophthalmoscope is necessary to establish the presence of a cataract.

Diagram of the eye

Establishing onset

The veteran may not have sought medical attention for a cataract until some time after the onset of symptoms, and this would normally be recorded in doctors' notes and/or hospital records.  However, these records may have been destroyed or can no longer be obtained.  Therefore, if there is a reliable history of appropriate symptoms and medical treatment at a particular time, this generally will be accepted, unless there is contradictory evidence.  Seek medical advice if it is unclear whether the claimed symptoms and treatment at that time can be attributed to cataract rather than to some other condition.

LAST REVIEWED FOR CCPS 18 JULY 2006.

PRELIMINARY QUESTIONS [11948]

11995  the veteran satisfies the preliminary requirements for claiming acquired cataract as the cause of the condition under consideration.

11996 the condition under consideration is angle-closure glaucoma.

or

11997 the condition under consideration is open-angle glaucoma.

11998 the veteran's open-angle glaucoma is a phacolytic glaucoma.

28154 the veteran has suffered from an acquired cataract at some time.

12000 the acquired cataract affected side and site of the body at some time.

12001 the acquired cataract was affecting side and site of the body at the time of the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.

12005  the veteran has established the causal connection between the acquired cataract and VEA service for the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.

12007   the veteran has established the causal connection between the acquired cataract and operational service for the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.

or

12008   the veteran has established the causal connection between the acquired cataract and eligible service for the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.

CLINICAL ONSET AND OPERATIONAL SERVICE [12007]

12010  the acquired cataract affecting side and site of the body is causally related to operational service.

CLINICAL ONSET AND ELIGIBLE SERVICE [12008]

12003  the acquired cataract affecting side and site of the body is causally related to eligible service.