Vitamin C in the human aqueous humor and cataracts.

Blood, aqueous humor and cataracts obtained from an Indian population were analyzed for ascorbic acid content. While the concentrations of ascorbic acid in the blood and cataracts were similar in patients with cortical and nuclear cataracts, the level of this nutrient was lower in the aqueous humor of patients with cortical cataracts. This suggests a sluggish transport of ascorbate from the blood to the aqueous humor in the latter group. It is possible that this lower level of ascorbate might be one of the factors participating in cataractogenesis. The lower aqueous ascorbate in the group with the cortical cataracts could not be accounted for by any dietary deficiency of this nutrient. Hence, it appears metabolically related.