A 57-year-old woman presented with photopsias and floaters in her right eye. A rosette-shaped cataract was seen in her right eye (Figure), and her left eye showed a clear lens. A posterior vitreous detachment was noted in the right eye, but there were no retinal tears or detachments. There were no signs of prior ocular trauma.
The patient had been struck by lightning as a child. Lightning injuries are rare; however, they can have ocular sequelae, most frequently cataract formation. Cataracts can occur from mechanical damage, decreased permeability of the lens capsule, protein coagulation, or nutritional alterations of the lens. Opacification of the lens cortex or capsule can result in stellate-shaped or rosette-shaped cataracts.1 Bilateral cataracts are more common; however, unilateral cases have been reported1 and are typically observed on the side of the body hit by the lightning currents.