If One Or Both Of My Parents Had Cataracts, Does That Mean I'll Get Them Too?

Dr. Greenstein answers the question: 'Parents Had Cataracts, Will I Get Them?'

ByABC News
December 23, 2008, 5:52 PM

Aug. 24, 2009— -- Question: If one or both of my parents had cataracts, does that mean I'll get them too?

Answer: If one or both of your parents have had cataracts, it does not necessarily mean that you're destined to have cataracts also. Cataract is mainly an age-related change in the eye. So when people talk about their parents having cataracts, it's not because it's typically a genetic problem, it's because their parents are older and have suffered an age-related problem. There are some rare cases of inherited cataracts in younger people, but this represents only a small percentage of all of our cataract patients.