Taurine Could Affect the Progression of Age-related Cataract: A Single-arm Pre-post Intervention Study

Background: Oxidative stress is the principal contributor to the pathogenesis and progression of age-related cataract (ARC), the most prevalent type of cataract.Objectives: The current study was designed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of taurine to prevent the progression of the nuclear subtype of ARC.Material and Methods: In total, 61 participants, 115 eyes with the grade I or II nuclear subtype of ARC, were included in this single-arm, open-label, pre-post intervention clinical trial. Participants were instructed to apply taurine-containing eye drops four times a day for one year. Ophthalmological examinations, including best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), were performed at the baseline visit and subsequent follow-up visits at 3-month intervals for one year. The trial was registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06639711.Results: The study cohort comprised 15 males (24.6%) and 46 females (75.4%). The median age of the participants was 62 years (IQRs 58-68). At the baseline visit, the mean logMAR BCVA was 0.2 ± 0.19. In this study, BCVA was stable throughout the study (Wald Chi-square = 1.254, P-value = 0.534). Additionally, age and female sex were found to have significant deteriorating effects on BCVA (P-value < 0.001 and P-value = 0.028, respectively).Conclusion: This interventional study demonstrated that taurine-containing eye drops can serve as an effective therapeutic option to prevent further deterioration of BCVA and potentially inhibit the progression of nuclear ARC. In addition, age and sex were key factors that influenced the progression of ARC. Further studies incorporating randomized controlled designs, extended follow-up, and multiple centers are recommended.