Material and Method: Totally 198 eyes of 99 consecutive patients diagnosed with age-related cataract and 188 eyes of 94 control cases were included in the study. In cataract group disease subtypes were recorded as nuclear cataract, cortical cataract, posterior subcapsular cataract or mixed cataract.

Results: Native thiol and total thiol levels were signifi cantly lower in cataract group while disulphide, disulphide/native thiol and disulphide/ total thiol ratios were signifi cantly higher. IMA and adjusted IMA levels were also signifi cantly higher in cataract group. When patients with different subtypes of cataract were analyzed; there was not any signifi cant difference between patients with different subtypes of cataract regarding the thiol/disulphide homeostasis parameters or adjusted IMA levels.

Conclusion: Serum dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis is altered in age-related cataract patients in the favor of oxidative stress and there was a signifi cant increase in serum IMA and adjusted IMA levels in cataract patients. However, we did not determine any significant difference in dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis parameters or IMA levels between patients with different subtypes of cataract. Since age-related cataract is a common disease that can only be treated with surgery; to prevent or slow down its development is critical. The parameters of dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis or IMA may be regarded as new targets for the new treatment modalities in cataract. Keywords : Cataract, Thiol, Disulphide, Ischemia modifi ed albumin, Oxidative stress