Overview of Cataract Risk Factors in Productive Age Patients: Literature Review

A.Yulia Puspitasari.S (Students of the Medical Profession Study Program, University of Muslim Indonesia, Makassar, Indonesia)
Marlyanti Nur Rahmah Akib (Departement of Ophtalmologi, Faculty of Medicine, University of Muslim Indonesia, Makassar, Indonesia)
Zulfikri Khalil Novriansyah (Departement of Ophtalmologi, Faculty of Medicine, University of Muslim Indonesia, Makassar, Indonesia)
Ariyanie Nurtania (Departement of Ophtalmologi, Faculty of Medicine, University of Muslim Indonesia, Makassar, Indonesia)
Nur Aulia Amir (Departement of Ophtalmologi, Faculty of Medicine, University of Muslim Indonesia, Makassar, Indonesia)

Journal of Community Health Provision
Vol. 6 No. 3 (2026): Journal of Community Health Provision

Cataract is a leading cause of visual impairment and blindness that occurs not only in the elderly but also among the productive-age population. Various risk factors are thought to contribute to the development of cataracts in this age group; therefore, a comprehensive understanding of these factors is needed. This study aimed to analyze the risk factors for cataracts in productive-age patients based on recent literature. This study employed a narrative review method by examining various scientific articles obtained from the PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases. The literature search was conducted using keywords relevant to the research topic. The main risk factors for cataracts in productive-age patients include ultraviolet radiation exposure, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, smoking habits, outdoor occupations, nutritional status, and socioeconomic conditions. In addition, family history, sex, and refractive errors also contribute to an increased risk of cataract development. The occurrence of cataracts in productive-age patients is multifactorial; therefore, promotive and preventive efforts through the control of modifiable risk factors are needed to reduce the incidence of early-onset cataracts.