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Lens Growth and Protein Density in the Rat Lens after In Vivo Exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation

¹ From the Karolinska Institutet, St. Erik’s Eye Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; ² The Netherlands Ophthalmic Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and ³ Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

PURPOSE. To investigate lens growth after different doses of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and to investigate the long-term effect of a near-threshold UVR dose on the refractive index distribution in the lens.

METHODS. Sprague–Dawley rats received UVR (_MAX = 300 nm) unilaterally during a 15-minute period. The exposure dose ranged from 0.1 to 20 kJ/m², and the rats were kept for up to 32 weeks after exposure. Intact lenses were photographed and lens wet and dry masses were measured. The protein density was estimated by quantitative microradiography. Freeze-dried lens sections were used for contact x-ray photographs. From the transmission of the microradiographs, protein density and refractive index profiles were calculated along the lens radius with a resolution of 2.5 µm.

RESULTS. Lens dry mass in exposed eyes was lower than in nonexposed eyes at one week after exposure. Lens water content was decreased after low UVR doses but increased after high doses. The difference between exposed and nonexposed lenses in dry mass and water content increased with time after exposure. No significant difference was found for the mean protein density in exposed and nonexposed lenses. The protein density increased linearly in the lens cortex, from a minimum in the superficial cortex of 0.26 g/cm³ to a maximum in the deep cortex of 0.81 g/cm³. This corresponded to a refractive index of 1.38 and 1.48, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS. Lenses exposed to UVR grew more slowly than their nonexposed contralaterals. This growth inhibition was dose dependent. Near-threshold doses led to decreased water content in the lens whereas high doses led to swelling. Six months after near-threshold UVR exposure, no global change of the refractive index was found. However, local variations of the refractive index caused a subtle cortical light scattering.

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