ASSESSMENT OF SERUM LIPID PROFILE IN SENILE CATARACT PATIENTS ATTENDING A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL OF TRIPURA: A CROSSSECTIONAL STUDY

Background: Cataracts rank as the second leading cause of visual impairment globally after refractive errors, and are the primary cause of preventable blindness. Aim of our study was to evaluate lipid profiles in patients with senile cataracts compared to age-matched controls, with an objective of guiding new screening programs and treatment strategies. Materials And Methods: A hospital-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Biochemistry in collaboration with Department of Ophthalmology at Agartala Government Medical College and Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital, Tripura, from January 2023 to June 2024. The study included 100 senile cataract patients over 50 years old and 100 age-matched healthy controls. Serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very lowdensity lipoprotein (VLDL) were measured. The Student's t-test was used to compare means, with a p-value < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Astatistically significant increase (p<0.001) was observed in serum levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, and VLDL among cases compared to controls. In contrast, serum HDL levels were significantly lower (p<0.001) in cases than in controls. Conclusion: Our findings reveal that hyperlipidemia may play a significant role in the development of senile cataract. Further research may be conducted to uncover the role and molecular mechanisms of antioxidant protection in patients of senile cataract having hyperlipidemia.