Red blood cell galactokinase activity and presenile cataracts.

Red blood cell galactokinase activity was measured in 70 patients with cataracts to assess a possible correlation between galactokinase activity levels and risk of cataract development. Among all, 15 patients developed cataracts during the first year of life, 25 patients under the age of 50 and 30 later in life. No cases of total or partial galactokinase deficiency were found. These results, taken together with the absence of cataracts in 9 patients with partial galactokinase deficiency render less certain the cause and effect relationship between partial galactokinase deficiency and the appearance of cataracts.