What causes congenital cateracts and How dangerous are they?

I had an eye appointment yesterday and the Dr. said I have astigmatism (which I already knew) and he also said it looks like I have a congenital cateract in my left eye. My right eye is fine but he says there is "no correcting the left eye with prescription" He referred me to speacialist but said the probably would not do surgery becasue of my age....? If anyone knows anything about congenital cateracts please let me know!

P.S I'm 20 years old.

As the eye develops while you are a fetus alot of things have to happen just right for all the components to develop just right. Thankfully, almost always, these things do happen just right. In some cases, though, as the eye is developing one or both eyes may not develop exactly as we would like. When this involves the lens of the eye it many times will cause a congenital cataract. Congenital cataracts, then, are present from birth but because the lens structure is not quite normal many times a congenital cataract will worsen or time. As to how dangerous are they, as long as the lens structure is intact, the lens capsule is intact, and the lens does not begin to sluff tissue as it becomes hyper mature, then the cataract itself is not dangerous. Of course, if it becomes more dense then your vision will continue to become worse. Once you and your doctor decide the time is right for a cataract operation and lens implantation then you should see a dramatic improvement in your vision. Without examining you I really can't be very specific in my recommendations so I think it would be best to ask these questions of your specialist so he can give you his impressions, expectations, and treatment plan. Hope this helped.

congenital cataracts are from genetics.

at age 20 its no big deal, and the specialist/surgeon is probably not going to recommend removal, especially if you see well from that eye...

If it is genuinely a congenital cataract it has always been there. And it won't get worse.

But if it's big enough to appreciably affect your vision, it seems odd that it's never been picked up before. Was this your first eye exam, or have you only just noticed poor vision in one eye? Was your one-eyed-ness never remarked though childhood. It's usually picked up in checking for lazy eyes.

But if it is a congenital cataract, there is no need to worry.
It is completely not dangerous.

Having been found, it will need assessing to see if trying surgery to improve the vision is likely to be worthwhile.
No urgency.

If you have had eye exams before I do just wonder if it is a congenital cataract. Some traumatic cataracts can take 10 years to appear after the event that triggered them. If you'd had a marked thump in the eye age 10, it might just be showing now...
That still wouldn't be an emergency or dangerous.

Most congenital cataracts are slight inherited problems. They are actually quite common, but the big majority are so smal l they do not affect the vison, so people may never be told they have them, unless the topic is specifically brought up.
Medicine being what it is, most articles and pictures on-line tend to focus (sorry) on the more spectacular incidences of the condition, obvious at birth.
Don't get too worried by this.
If it's checked out, you're fine.

Optometrist, retired.