Cataract update.

Cataracts can be congenital or can result from traumatic injuries, local or systemic disease, or the aging process (senile cataracts). Senile cataracts are classified as nuclear, cortical or posterior subcapsular. Of the several surgical procedures and lenses used in treatment, the most exciting advance is extracapsular cataract extraction followed by insertion of a posterior chamber intraocular lens. Physicians should be aware of several common misconceptions concerning cataracts.