EFFECT OF AIR POLLUTION AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN DEVELOPMENT OF CATARACT- A STUDY IN RURALRegions of West BengalAbstract Oxidative stress induced by air pollution has been directly correlated to the pathogenesis of cataract. Cataract is the change of opacity of the ocular lens and one of the important causes behind visual loss. Free radicals induce lens damage by generating membrane lipid peroxidation, protein aggregation, protein inactivation, and subsequent lens opacification. The main aim of this present study to investigate the association between air pollutants, oxidative stress and cataracts in the adult population aged between 45-72 years. Malondialdehyde (MDA), the end product of lipid peroxidation may be used as a biomarker for the measurement of oxidative stress. In this present cross-sectional study blood sample of 24 cataract patients (Age limit 45-72 years) from Barasat village area of North 24 Pargana, West Bengal, India have been taken for measurement of MDA level i.e lipid peroxidation product. A control study has been conducted on 16 people from same age group. From statistical analysis of t score data it can be interpreted that the serum lipid peroxidation product (LPP) concentration (nmol/ml) is significantly higher in the cataract cases (p< 0.001) as compared to that in the control cases. From this study it is clear there is a direct relationship between lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress and Cataract although the above study cannot confirm the mechanism of the cataract formation. |