Basic Summary for Cataracts

Main name of condition: Cataracts
Other names or spellings:

What is Cataracts?
  Brief description of Cataracts: Cloudy areas on the eye's cornea interfering with vision.
  Brief description of Cataracts: A cataract is a clouding of the eye's lens that causes loss of vision.¹
  Parent types of Cataracts: Diabetic Eye Disease, Eye conditions, Lens disorders
  Organs Affected by Cataracts: eye
  Types of Cataracts: Age-related cataract, Congenital cataract, Secondary cataract, Traumatic cataract

How many people get Cataracts?
  Prevalance of Cataracts: 5,500,000 people have a cataract interfering with their vision in the US (Research to Prevent Blindness, NISE, NSF)
  Prevalance Rate of Cataracts: approx 1 in 49 or 2.02% or 5.5 million people in USA [about data]
  Incidence (annual) of Cataracts: 400,000 new cases of cataract occur each year in the US (Research to Prevent Blindness, NISE, NSF)
  Incidence Rate of Cataracts: approx 1 in 679 or 0.15% or 400,000 people in USA [about data]

Who gets Cataracts?
Patient Profile for Cataracts: Mostly older adults, especially over 65.

How serious is Cataracts?
Complications of Cataracts: see complications of Cataracts

What causes Cataracts?
Causes of Cataracts: see causes of Cataracts
Risk factors for Cataracts: see risk factors for Cataracts

What are the symptoms of Cataracts?
Symptoms of Cataracts: see symptoms of Cataracts

Can anyone else get Cataracts?
More information: see contagiousness of Cataracts

How is it treated?
  Treatments for Cataracts: see treatments for Cataracts
  Prevention of Cataracts: see prevention of Cataracts
  Research for Cataracts: see research for Cataracts

Society issues for Cataracts
Hospitalization statistics for Cataracts: The following are statistics from various sources about hospitalizations and Cataracts:

2.26% (288,109) of hospital episodes were for lens disorders including cataracts in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
100% of hospital consultations for lens disorders including cataracts required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
37% of hospital episodes for lens disorders including cataracts were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
53% of hospital episodes for lens disorders including cataracts were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
0% of hospital admissions for lens disorders including cataracts required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
1.4 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for lens disorders including cataracts in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
1 day was the median length of stay in hospitals for lens disorders including cataracts in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
75 was the mean age of patients hospitalised for lens disorders including cataracts in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
8% of hospitalisations for lens disorders including cataracts occurred in 15-59 year olds in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
61% of hospitalisations for lens disorders including cataracts occurred in people over 75 in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
90% of hospitalisations for lens disorders including cataracts were single day episodes in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
0.07% (37,343) of hospital bed days were for lens disorders including cataracts in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
0.85% (108,957) of hospital consultant episodes were for senile cataract in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
100% of hospital consultant episodes for senile cataract required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
36% of hospital consultant episodes for senile cataract were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
54% of hospital consultant episodes for senile cataract were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
0% of hospital consultant episodes for senile cataract required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
1.3 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for senile cataract in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
1 days was the median length of stay in hospitals for senile cataract in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
76 was the mean age of patients hospitalised for senile cataract in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
6% of hospital consultant episodes for senile cataract occurred in 15-59 year olds in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
63% of hospital consultant episodes for senile cataract occurred in people over 75 in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
91% of hospital consultant episodes for senile cataract were single day episodes in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
0.025% (12,871) of hospital bed days were for senile cataract in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
1.389% (177,209) of hospital consultant episodes were for other cataracts in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
100% of hospital consultant episodes for other cataracts required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
37% of hospital consultant episodes for other cataracts were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
63% of hospital consultant episodes for other cataracts were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
0% of hospital consultant episodes for other cataracts required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
1.4 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for other cataracts in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
1 days was the median length of stay in hospitals for other cataracts in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
75 was the mean age of patients hospitalised for other cataracts in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
9% of hospital consultant episodes for other cataracts occurred in 15-59 year olds in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
60% of hospital consultant episodes for other cataracts occurred in people over 75 in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
90% of hospital consultant episodes for other cataracts were single day episodes in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
0.045% (23,492) of hospital bed days were for other cataracts in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
Hospitalization statistics in Australia for public hospitals:
- 0.017% (10) of hospital episodes for cataract in public hospitals occurred in females under 1 year old in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 0.02% (12) of hospital episodes for cataract in public hospitals occurred in females aged 1 to 4 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 0.06% (32) of hospital episodes for cataract in public hospitals occurred in females aged 5 to 14 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 0.09% (52) of hospital episodes for cataract in public hospitals occurred in females aged 15 to 24 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 0.17% (97) of hospital episodes for cataract in public hospitals occurred in females aged 25 to 34 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 0.7% (374) of hospital episodes for cataract in public hospitals occurred in females aged 35 to 44 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 3.08% (1,759) of hospital episodes for cataract in public hospitals occurred in females aged 45 to 54 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 9.3% (5,316) of hospital episodes for cataract in public hospitals occurred in females aged 55 to 64 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 28.31% (16,179) of hospital episodes for cataract in public hospitals occurred in females aged 65 to 74 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 45.89% (26,226) of hospital episodes for cataract in public hospitals occurred in females aged 75 to 84 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 12.42% (7,096) of hospital episodes for cataract in public hospitals occurred in females aged over 85 in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
Hospitalization statistics in Australia for public hospitals:
- 0.005% (1) of hospital episodes for senile cataract in public hospitals occurred in females aged 5 to 14 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 0.02% (4) of hospital episodes for senile cataract in public hospitals occurred in females aged 15 to 24 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 0.05% (11) of hospital episodes for senile cataract in public hospitals occurred in females aged 25 to 34 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 0.4% (87) of hospital episodes for senile cataract in public hospitals occurred in females aged 35 to 44 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 2.33% (472) of hospital episodes for senile cataract in public hospitals occurred in females aged 45 to 54 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 8.46% (1,715) of hospital episodes for senile cataract in public hospitals occurred in females aged 55 to 64 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 30.89% (6,259) of hospital episodes for senile cataract in public hospitals occurred in females aged 65 to 74 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 46.35% (2,321) of hospital episodes for senile cataract in public hospitals occurred in females aged 75 to 84 years in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
- 11.46% (2,321) of hospital episodes for senile cataract in public hospitals occurred in females aged over 85 in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)

Physician office visits for Cataracts: 3,700,000 visits are made each year to a physicians office because of cataracts in the US (Research to Prevent Blindness, NISE, NSF)
Physician office visit statistics for Cataracts: The following are statistics from various sources about physician office visits and Cataracts:

9,790,000 people visited a physician’s office for cataracts in the US 2001 (National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2001)

Medical Procedures for Cataracts: over 1.5 million surgeries annually (NEI)
Medical procedure statistics for Cataracts: The following are statistics from various sources about medical procedures and Cataracts:

1,350,000 cataract extractions are performed each year in the US (Research to Prevent Blindness, NISE, NSF)

Footnotes:
1. excerpt from Are You At Risk for Cataract: NEI

Last revision: May 26, 2003

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