THE REGENERATION OF THE CONTENTS OF THE LENS CAPSULES OF RABBITS AFTER REMOVAL OF CATARACTS INDUCED BY X-IRRADIATION
A study of cataract formation was made, but instead of inducing cataract by pricking the capsule or by chemical means it was induced by irradiation in an attempt to disturb the lens-forming cells without at the same time injuring other structures. Lens changes were studied macroscopically and histologically after unilateral x irradiation of the rabbit eye. After 1400 r, characteristic vacuoles appeared in the posterior lens cortex six months later. These changes, progressive for a few weeks, showed little advance thereafter up to three yr from the date of irradiation. This accords with the earlier conclusions that adult rabbits need a higher dose of x rays than younger ones do to produce any change at all and that these changes of moderate degree are first seen after a latent period of several months and tend to spontaneous arrest. A larger dose of 2600 r provoked immediate severe reactions with permanert damage to lids, conjunctiva, and cornea, which made examination difficult. Lens changes were seen after nine days, with appearance of fine bubbles. These bubbles could not be found again until three months after irradiation, when they became prominent. This change progressed in a few weeks to give complete milky opacity. These cataracts proved so firmly adherent to their capsules that evacuation was difficult. In other rabbits which received 1100-r eye irradiation, the irradiated lens capsule was removed and a fragment of fetal tissue implanted. This resulted in regeneration of a transparent lens whereas the irradiated nonimplanted capsules remained cloudy. The contents of nonimplanted capsules were so cloudy that skiascopy was impossible and only an indeterminate view of the fundus reflex was obtainable by direct ophthalmoscopy at high power. The lenses regenerated in the presence of implanted fetal tissue, however, were homogeneous and transparent so that some estimate of the hypermetropia of these eyes could be attempted by ophthalmoscopy and skiascopy. Their ametropia began to diminish four months after operation and it progressed towards emmetropia in a further two months. Vacuoles appeared in the lens of the younger control (irradiated) rabbits after two months and of the older after three months, and advanced slowly so that even a year after irradiation they constitute little impairment of the optical properties of the eye. The lenses of these control animals are clearer than those of animals subjected to operation. The structural defects and the refractive properties of irradiated, regenerated lenses are described in detail. (BBB)
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Hull, Eng.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-18-013545
- OSTI ID:
- 4093580
- Journal Information:
- Trans. Ophthalmol. Soc. U.K., Vol. Vol: 82; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-64
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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