Excessive water drinking and cataract formation: a case report.
We report a case of a 46-year-old man who developed mature cataract in one eye and nearly mature cataract in his other eye over a 14-month period. No genetic, traumatic, or toxic etiology or intraocular pathology or history of irradiation were present. The patient had intentionally been drinking 15 liters of water a day for 11 months, up until 3 months prior to his admission, and 5 liters a day thereafter, until his admission. During his hospitalization he was found to suffer from insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The rest of his medical work-up was found to be normal. We suggest that the huge water overload put on his lens played a role in the premature and rapid cataract formation.
Beiran
I
I
Department of Ophthalmology, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
Pikkel
J
J
Miller
B
B
D002386:Cataract / Q000209:etiology*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications; D004326:Drinking; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014867:Water / Q000009:adverse effects*
D014867:Water