LENS LIPID PEROXIDATION, PROTEIN OXIDATION AND PROTEIN CONTENT IN NONDIABETIC AND DIABETIC CATARACT PATIENTS

Diabetic cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide. More than 17 million people are blind because of cataract and 28000 new cases are reported daily worldwide. In the US, the economic impact of cataract surgery alone is estimated to be over $34 billion per year. Therefore, it is imperative to look for means and ways to effectively prevent or delay development of diabetic cataract. We performed lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation and protein content assays on 150 nondiabetic and 100 diabetic patients who had undergone cataract surgery. The present studies revealed that lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation are enhanced in diabetic cataractous lenses compared to nondiabeticcataractous lenses whereas protein content was decreased in diabetic lenses compared to nondiabetic lenses. The results indicate that the increased lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation may be due to increased oxidative stress or decreased antioxidant capacity. Further, these results imply that ingredients in the study's dietary sources may be explored for anticataractogenic agents that prevent or delay the development of cataract.