Oil-drop cataracts

The oil-drop cataract is a common yet often overlooked cause of progressive vision loss. Although the nuclear change can be subtle on slitlamp biomicroscopic examination, retinoscopy reveals the classic oil droplet silhouetted against the red reflex. We present seven patients with oil-drop cataracts referred for neuro-ophthalmologic evaluation because of unexplained vision loss. All had been evaluated by multiple physicians and had had extensive diagnostic testing. The patients were between 36 and 69 years old with visual acuities from 20/20 to 20/400. The neuro-ophthalmologic evaluation in all patients was normal except for lenticular nuclear changes, best appreciated with retinoscopy.