RESUMEN
To determine frequency of various risk factors associated with presenile cataract among patients schedule for cataract surgery. Study was conducted at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Karachi Medical Dental College between October 2007 and September 2009. Patients of cataract of age 30-55 years were selected. Presence of risk factors like diabetes mellitus, high myopia, occupational exposure to metal work, atopic dermatitis and smoking were noted. Visual acuity, anterior and posterior segments were examined and axial length was measured. Two hundred fifty four patients satisfying inclusion criteria were selected. These included 181 male [mean age 44.7 years] and 73 females [mean age 43.8 years]. Unilateral eye involvement was present in 108 patients while bilateral involvement was present in 146 patients. Risk factors frequency was diabetes [26%], high myopia [16.1%], smoking [15%], metallic exposure [3.1%], atopic dermatitis [2%] while 37.8% were idiopathic. Significant difference were found in frequency of risk factors [p=0.004] and mean age according to presence of risk factors [p=0.001]. While no significant association was found of age with risk factors [p=0.7] and gender [p=0.24]. Our study shows that idiopathy contributed to most of the cases of presenile cataract followed by diabetes mellitus, high myopia and smoking