Change of light scattering intensities in crystalline lens layers with pseudoexfoliation syndrome over five years in the Icelandic population–Reykjavik Eye Study–

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose:To investigate the change of light scattering intensities (LSI) in lens layers in the eyes with the pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) and without over five years in the Icelandic population. Method: The 1045 subjects who participated in The Reykjavik Eye Study (RES) in 1996 were reexamined 5 years later in 2001. 846 or 88.2% of the survivors participated in the 2001 examination. Among the 846 participants, 1148 eyes of 584 cases (61.6±7.8 years old) were selected as subjects for the study. The subjects with pseudophakic and aphakic eyes and those with anterior subcapsular or cortical opacity in the central optical zone were excluded from this study. Scheimpflug slit and retroillumination photographs were taken employing the anterior eye segment analysis system (EAS–1000, NIDEK). LSI in the anterior capsule (A), superficial cortical layer (B), anterior adult nuclear layer (C), anterior fetal nuclear layer (D), central clear interval (E) and posterior fetal nuclear layer (F) were measured. Eyes with a partial or complete central shield with or without a peripheral band were determined as having PEX. The eyes were divided into three groups according to their status of PEX in 1996 and 2001 as follows; PP with PEX positive from baseline, NP with PEX negative at baseline and positive in 2001 and NN with PEX negative both at baseline and in 2001. Result:The LSI in each lens layer increased with aging. The LSI in layer A in PP was significantly higher than that in NP and NN both at 1996 and 2001. No significant difference of LSI among the three groups was seen in the layers B, C, D E and F. The increase of LSI over five years in layer A was highest in PP followed by that in NP. Conclusion: The LSI in the anterior capsule was high and increased rapidly in the lens with PEX. The LSI of cortical and nuclear layers showed no significant difference between PEX and non–PEX eyes suggesting little influence of PEX on lens opacity in optical axis.

Keywords: clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: prevalence/incidence • cataract • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: outcomes/complications