Presenile cataracts in phenytoin-treated epileptic patients

Cataracts developed in two young adults who were receiving prolonged antiepileptic treatment with phenobarbital sodium and phenytoin sodium. The known side effects of these drugs are serious and varied, and phenytoin is strongly implicated in the etiology of cataracts in human beings. Results of our research study on rats supported our view on the cataractogenic action of phenytoin.