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M. J. Friedrich

JAMA. 2001;286:1705.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Cambridge, Mass—Recent studies by researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are providing a clearer view of how alterations in lens proteins make cataract formation more likely to occur. Elucidation of these molecular mechanisms should help identify methods to inhibit or prevent cataract development and may also provide useful clues to the pathogenesis of other conditions, such as Alzheimer disease.

New strategies for treating or preventing cataract would be welcome. According to the World Health Organization, cataract is the leading cause of vision impairment worldwide and is responsible for half of the 45 million cases of blindness that occur across the globe. Currently the only treatment for this condition is extraction of the cataract.

Cataracts form when soluble proteins in the lens begin to condense and form "clumps." Normally these proteins are arranged so they do not interfere with light passing through to the retina. But . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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