Acquired cataract

Source: Repatriation Medical Authority Statements of Principles as held by the Veterans Health Centre. SoPs are amended and replaced regularly; always confirm the current instrument at rma.gov.au before relying on it.

RH No. 87 of 2016 · BoP No. 88 of 201656 factors

Meaning of acquired cataract: For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, acquired cataract means an opacification of the lens or lens capsule of the eye which causes visual impairment and which is not due to congenital or infantile cataract or lens malformation. (3) While acquired cataract attracts ICD-10-AM code H25, H26.1-H26.9, H28.1 or H28.2, in applying this Statement of Principles the meaning of acquired cataract is that given in subsection (2). (4) For subsection (3), a reference to an ICD-10-AM code is a reference to the code assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), Ninth Edition, effective date of 1 July 2015, copyrighted by the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, ISBN 978-1-76007-020-5.

Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 87 of 2016

At least one of the following factors must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting acquired cataract or death from acquired cataract with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:

(1)
having sunlight exposure to the eye for at least 2 250 hours while in a tropical area, or having equivalent sunlight exposure in other latitude zones, before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
Note: equivalent sunlight exposure in other latitude zones and tropical area are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(2)
smoking at least five pack-years of cigarettes, or the equivalent thereof in other tobacco products, before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
Note: pack-years of cigarettes, or the equivalent thereof in other tobacco products is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(3)
having diabetes mellitus before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
(4)
having received a cumulative equivalent dose of at least 0.2 sievert of ionising radiation to the affected eye before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
Note: cumulative equivalent dose is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(5)
having physical trauma to the affected eye within the 20 years before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
Note: physical trauma is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(6)
having a severe thermal or chemical burn to the affected eye before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
Note: severe thermal or chemical burn is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(7)
having an electrical injury within the five years before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
(8)
being treated with a drug as specified before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
Note: being treated with a drug as specified is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(9)
being treated with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or a serotonin and noradrenaline (norepinephrine) reuptake inhibitor for the six months before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
(10)
taking an antimalarial agent for a consecutive period of at least six months before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
(11)
being treated with an oral, topical or inhalational corticosteroid as specified within the ten years before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
Note: being treated with an oral, topical or inhalational corticosteroid as specified is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(12)
having uveitis or iridocyclitis of the affected eye before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
(13)
being overweight or obese for at least five years within the ten years before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
Note: being overweight or obese is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(14)
for cortical and subcapsular cataract only, having hypoparathyroidism at the time of the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
(15)
having sunlight exposure to the eye for at least 2 250 hours while in a tropical area, or having equivalent sunlight exposure in other latitude zones, before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
Note: equivalent sunlight exposure in other latitude zones and tropical area are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(16)
smoking at least five pack-years of cigarettes, or the equivalent thereof in other tobacco products, before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
Note: pack-years of cigarettes, or the equivalent thereof in other tobacco products is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(17)
having diabetes mellitus before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
(18)
having received a cumulative equivalent dose of at least 0.2 sievert of ionising radiation to the affected eye before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
Note: cumulative equivalent dose is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(19)
having physical trauma to the affected eye within the 20 years before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
Note: physical trauma is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(20)
having a severe thermal or chemical burn to the affected eye before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
Note: severe thermal or chemical burn is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(21)
having an electrical injury within the five years before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
(22)
being treated with a drug as specified before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
Note: being treated with a drug as specified is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(23)
being treated with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or a serotonin and noradrenaline (norepinephrine) reuptake inhibitor for the six months before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
(24)
taking an antimalarial agent for a consecutive period of at least six months before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
(25)
being treated with an oral, topical or inhalational corticosteroid as specified within the ten years before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
Note: being treated with an oral, topical or inhalational corticosteroid as specified is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(26)
having uveitis or iridocyclitis of the affected eye before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
(27)
being overweight or obese for at least five years within the ten years before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
Note: being overweight or obese is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(28)
for cortical and subcapsular cataract only, having hypoparathyroidism at the time of the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
(29)
inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for acquired cataract;

Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsections 9(15) to 9(29) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.

Balance of Probabilities (BoP) — Statement of Principles No. 88 of 2016

27 factors

At least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, acquired cataract or death from acquired cataract is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:

(1)
having sunlight exposure to the eye for at least 4 500 hours while in a tropical area, or having equivalent sunlight exposure in other latitude zones, before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
Note: equivalent sunlight exposure in other latitude zones and tropical area are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(2)
smoking at least ten pack-years of cigarettes, or the equivalent thereof in other tobacco products, before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
Note: pack-years of cigarettes, or the equivalent thereof in other tobacco products is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(3)
having diabetes mellitus before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
(4)
having received a cumulative equivalent dose of at least 0.5 sievert of ionising radiation to the affected eye before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
Note: cumulative equivalent dose is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(5)
having physical trauma to the affected eye within the ten years before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
Note: physical trauma is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(6)
having a severe thermal or chemical burn to the affected eye before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
Note: severe thermal or chemical burn is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(7)
having an electrical injury within the five years before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
(8)
being treated with a drug as specified before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
Note: being treated with a drug as specified is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(9)
being treated with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or a serotonin and noradrenaline (norepinephrine) reuptake inhibitor for the six months before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
(10)
being treated with an oral, topical or inhalational corticosteroid as specified within the ten years before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
Note: being treated with an oral, topical or inhalational corticosteroid as specified is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(11)
having uveitis or iridocyclitis of the affected eye before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
(12)
being overweight or obese for at least five years within the ten years before the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
Note: being overweight or obese is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(13)
for cortical and subcapsular cataract only, having hypoparathyroidism at the time of the clinical onset of acquired cataract;
(14)
having sunlight exposure to the eye for at least 4 500 hours while in a tropical area, or having equivalent sunlight exposure in other latitude zones, before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
Note: equivalent sunlight exposure in other latitude zones and tropical area are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(15)
smoking at least ten pack-years of cigarettes, or the equivalent thereof in other tobacco products, before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
Note: pack-years of cigarettes, or the equivalent thereof in other tobacco products is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(16)
having diabetes mellitus before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
(17)
having received a cumulative equivalent dose of at least 0.5 sievert of ionising radiation to the affected eye before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
Note: cumulative equivalent dose is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(18)
having physical trauma to the affected eye within the ten years before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
Note: physical trauma is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(19)
having a severe thermal or chemical burn to the affected eye before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
Note: severe thermal or chemical burn is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(20)
having an electrical injury within the five years before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
(21)
being treated with a drug as specified before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
Note: being treated with a drug as specified is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(22)
being treated with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or a serotonin and noradrenaline (norepinephrine) reuptake inhibitor for the six months before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
(23)
being treated with an oral, topical or inhalational corticosteroid as specified within the ten years before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
Note: being treated with an oral, topical or inhalational corticosteroid as specified is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(24)
having uveitis or iridocyclitis of the affected eye before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
(25)
being overweight or obese for at least five years within the ten years before the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
Note: being overweight or obese is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
(26)
for cortical and subcapsular cataract only, having hypoparathyroidism at the time of the clinical worsening of acquired cataract;
(27)
inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for acquired cataract;

Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsections 9(14) to 9(27) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.

Acquired cataract — DVA SoP factors