[The role of zinc in the appearance of cataract].

The level of zinc in 259 crystalline lenses removed after extraction of cataract (senile and traumatic) has been determined. The lowest concentration of zinc in crystalline lenses has been detected in patients with mature senile cataract while the highest concentration-in patients with traumatic cataract. Since many enzymes contain zinc we can suppose that their activity decrease as senile cataract develops. Higher level of zinc in traumatic cataract indicates moderate disturbances of crystalline lens metabolism as compared with senile cataract.