Cataracts as the Initial Manifestation of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

A 13-year-old girl presented with the gradual onset of bilateral visual changes. She was initially diagnosed with idiopathic cataracts, but a medical evaluation revealed new-onset type 1 diabetes mellitus with ketosis. The patient was hospitalized and started on a regimen of insulin before discharge and eventual surgical correction of her cataracts. Cataracts are an uncommon initial manifestation of new-onset type 1 diabetes, occasionally in the absence of other more classic symptoms of diabetes. Pediatric patients presenting with bilateral cataracts should be evaluated for a underlying etiology of their cataracts before being referred for surgical correction.