Purpose:

A prospective observational study was performed that included 205 adults, 102 cases and 103 controls, classified into the age groups of ≤ 55 and ≥ 60 years old, to examine the prognostic value of telomere length in patients with or without cataract, and to assess the effects of telomerase ribonucleic acid (RNA) gene variants (TERC and TERT) on telomere length.

Methods:

Telomere length and telomerase polymorphisms were quantified in peripheral blood leukocytes by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. TaqMan® probes were used for telomerase polymorphisms (TERT 1327C>T and TERC 63G>A) genotyping.

Results:

Regardless of age, patients with cataract had shorter telomere lengths compared to healthy controls (p < 0.01). No association was detected between telomere shortening and TERC 63G>A in both cases and controls, and no correlation was observed between leukocyte telomere length and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with cataracts.

Conclusions:

Irrespective of age, telomeres in peripheral blood leukocytes of patients with cataract were shorter compared to subjects without cataract. Our findings suggest that the development of cataract is associated with peripheral blood cell aging.

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