The role of oxidative damage in cataract etiopathogenesis

Abstract

Objective: In this study, the effect of oxidative stress on the etiopathogenesis of cataract was investigated through the total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), oxidative stress index (OSI), and arylesterase (ARE) levels in aqueous humor samples of patients with cataract.Methods: This study was conducted on patients who scheduled for cataract surgery between June 2020 and March 2021. The patients were divided into four groups according to their cataract density as grades 1, 2, 3, and 4. TOS, TAS, and ARE levels of aqueous humor samples were measured spectrophotometrically and comparisons were made between groups.Results: A total of 100 eyes of 100 patients were included in this study. TAS levels were found significantly higher in the grade 2 group compared to the grade 4 group (p=0.006). In addition, a significant negative correlation was present between cataract grade and TAS level (r=-0.237; p=0.018). There was no significant difference between diabetic and non-diabetic patients in terms of TAS, TOS, OSI and ARE levels.Conclusions: The aqueous humor of patients with a high degree of cataract is characterized by low antioxidant capacity. Decreased antioxidant capacity has a role in cataract formation and progression.