Research progress of melatonin in age-related cataract

Aging is a necessary process for organisms.The antioxidant capacity in the body decreases, which induces the activation of inflammasomes, autophagy dysregulation, protein misfolding in the lens, resulting in lens opacification. With the increase of age, the secretion of melatonin and glutathione(GSH)gradually decreased, and the pro-oxidant/pro-inflammatory factors increased, which created ideal conditions for the formation of age-related cataract(ARC). A series of changes such as oxidative stress, inflammation and autophagy dysregulation accompany the occurrence of aging, which is also the basis of various diseases. Melatonin has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, regulation of autophagy and circadian rhythm effects, and has shown benefits in age-related macular degeneration(ARMD), diabetic retinopathy(DR), and glaucoma. Although phacoemulsification and lens implantation have developed maturely, they consume a lot of medical resources. This article reviews the research of melatonin in ARC, which may prevent/delay the formation of ARC, thereby reducing the economic burden of patients and reducing the loss of medical resources.