Impact of tobacco use on oxidative stress in cataract

Abstract

Even today, age related cataract is prominent cause of visual deterioration. Cataract is associated with various risk factors and tobacco is one of the modifiable risk factors. Association between smoking and increased oxidative stress among cataract patients has been shown by some studies. But studies regarding smokeless tobacco are not done. This study was intended to estimate antioxidant enzyme Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and MalonDiAldehyde (MDA) which is a lipid peroxidation product in tobacco user’s Age Related Cataract (ARC) subjects and compare them with tobacco nonuser age related cataract (ARC) subjects. Out of 120 subjects, 60 were tobacco nonuser age related cataract subjects and 60 tobacco users were age related cataract subjects. 60 tobacco user cataract subjects subdivided into 5 different groups as tobacco smokers, tobacco chewers, tobacco mishri users, tobacco chewers as well as mishri users and smokers as well as smokeless tobacco users. Erythrocytic SOD and serum MDA was estimated. The study showed that in tobacco user group age of cataract patients was significantly less than tobacco nonuser cataract patients (P<0.05). Levels of Erythrocytic SOD were significantly low and levels of serum MDA were significantly elevated in tobacco user cataract patients than tobacco non-user cataract patients (P<0.001). In tobacco user group, nuclear cataract was significantly high (P<0.05). On comparison of sub- types of cataract in tobacco user subgroup, no significant difference was found. From these results, we may conclude that tobacco use intensifies the oxidative stress that is already present in age related cataract and this may accelerate the progression of ARC mainly nuclear cataract.