According to a Times of India report from New Delhi today, the age of onset of cataract among Indians may have dipped by almost a decade. Doctors report that cataract - clouding of the eye's natural lens and the main cause of blindness in the world - earlier affected those above 60 years. Increasingly, it is being seen among those in their mid-40s. According to Dr Mahipal Sachdev, chairman of Centre for Sight, the age of onset of cataract among Indians is 45 years as against 55 years among Westerners. "Cataract in Indians is increasingly being diagnosed among the younger population. We don't know why. It could be due to the overall poor nutrition levels, excessive exposure to ultra-violet light, increased diarrhea and dehydration episodes," Dr Sachdev said.

Hundreds of blind patients line up for cataract surgery at the eye hospital in Chitrakoot, India. Photo courtesy of Brian Harris, Seva Canada.

Besides, in case there is a family history of early cataract, the children would get it five years earlier than their parents, he said. "Because it is being reported among the younger generation, we are not waiting for the cataract to mature. If the visual blur is interfering with the people's daily life, we are conducting the cataract surgery immediately. Earlier, we would wait for the cataract to mature," he added. India is home to 12 million blind people of which 70% is due to cataract. India does about 5 million cataract surgeries annually, which are the highest in the world. Seva's partner in India, Aravind Eye Care System, is now the world's most productive eye hospital and performs over 250,000 cataract surgeries annually. Aravind's award-winning model of care has been held up as an example for Western countries, such as Canada. To learn more about Seva's work in India and in the 8 other countries where we work, visit http://www.seva.ca/sevainindia.htm