Abstract

Background: Senile cataract is an ever-increasing visual problem that accounts for approximately 50% of blindness worldwide. The development of age-related cataract is a slow process; the exact mechanism of cataract formation has not been clearly defined. There is increasing evidence that oxidative stress has been implicated in the development of age-related cataract. Aim: To evaluate the serum levels of antioxidative enzymes and the products of oxidative stress in patients with senile cataracts and investigate the role of oxidative stress in senile cataractogenesis. Method: Fifty patients with senile cataract and fifty healthy controls of matched age and gender were included in this study. Serum samples were obtained to measure the levels of antioxidative enzymes - superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) as well as levels of oxidation Stress markers- Sialic acid and malondialdehyde (MDA). Results: Serum SOD and CAT activities in the cataract group were significantly decreased as compared to the control subjects (p < 0.001). The levels of MDA and sialic acid in cataract patients were significantly higher than those in the control subjects (p < 0.05).

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