Which cataract type can develop as a complication of anterior uveitis?

• A. Nuclear Sclerosis
• B. Cortical Vacuolization
• C. Cortical Cataract
• D. Posterior Subcapsular Cataract

Answer: (D)

Anterior uveitis creates an inflammatory environment in the eye and often leads to changes in the lens that favor posterior subcapsular involvement. The posterior subcapsular region is particularly vulnerable to inflammatory mediators and to the effects of corticosteroids used to treat uveitis. Over time, lens epithelial cells near the posterior capsule can undergo metaplasia and excessive fibrous, or "fiber," changes, producing a dense opacity just under the capsule. This pattern—opacities at the back of the lens surface—is characteristic of a posterior subcapsular cataract and is the one most commonly seen as a complication of anterior uveitis. Other cataract types, like nuclear sclerosis or cortical cataracts, are more related to aging or other factors and don’t have the same direct association with anterior uveitis or its treatment. Cortical vacuolization isn’t the classic pattern linked to uveitis.