Cataracts in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency plays an important biochemical role in the metabolism of the lens. Controversies exist in the literature on the possible association between G-6-PD deficiency and the development of cataracts. The authors present ten patients, aged between infancy and 40 years of age, who were admitted for bilateral congenital or presenile cataracts. These patients had no ocular or systemic disease which might have caused their cataract. The only systemic finding they had was G-6-PD deficiency. Two other patients among the families described suffered from bilateral congenital or presenile cataracts with no G-6-PD deficiency. This deficiency state does not appear to play a role in the production of their cataracts.