A cataract that occurs congenitally as the result of a developmental defect, in contrast to the majority of cataracts that occur in adulthood as the result of degenerative changes of the lens.

Congenital cataracts cause 10 to 30% of all blindness in children, with one-third of cases estimated to have a genetic cause (summary by Bu et al., 2002). Mutations in the HSF4 gene have been found to cause multiple types of cataract, which have been described as infantile, lamellar, zonular, nuclear, anterior polar, stellate, and Marner-type. The preferred title for this entry was formerly 'Lamellar Cataract,' with 'Cataract, Marner Type; CAM; CTM' an included title.

A polar cataract that affects the anterior pole of the lens.