title: Straylight effects with aging and lens extraction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess possible gains and losses in straylight values among the population to consider straylight as added benefit of lens extraction.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional design, data from a multicenter study on visual function in automobile drivers were analyzed.
  
  
  METHODS
  On both eyes of 2,422 subjects, visual acuity (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution [logMAR] in steps of 0.02 log units), straylight on the retina (psychophysical compensation comparison method), and lens opacity (slit-lamp scoring using the Lens Opacities Classification System III [LOCS III] system) were determined. Three groups were defined: 220 pseudophakic eyes, 3,182 noncataractous eyes (average LOCS III score, <1.5), and 134 cataractous eyes (average LOCS III score, >3.0).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Noncataractous straylight values increases strongly with age as: log(s) = constant + log(1 + (age / 65)(4)), doubling by the age of 65 years, and tripling by the age of 77 years. Population standard deviation around this age norm was approximately 0.10 log units. The cataract eyes (in this active driver group) had relatively mild straylight increase. In pseudophakia, straylight values may be very good, better even than in the noncataract group. Visual acuity and straylight were found to vary quite independently.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lens extraction holds promise not only to improve on the condition of the cataract eye, but also to improve on the age-normal eye. Lens extraction potentially reverses the strong age increase in straylight value, quite independently from visual acuity.
authors.affiliation: The Netherlands Ophthalmic Research Institute/Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, The Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. t.j.vandenberg@nin.knaw.nl
authors.forename: Thomas J T P
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Van Den Berg
authors.forename: L J René
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Van Rijn
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Michael
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heine
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Coeckelbergh
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nischler
authors.forename: Helmuth
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
authors.forename: Günther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grabner
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Emesz
authors.forename: Rafael I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Barraquer
authors.forename: Joris E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Coppens
authors.forename: Luuk
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Franssen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001334:Automobile Driving; D002386:Cataract / Q000503:physiopathology; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019466:Glare; D006801:Humans; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000503:physiopathology; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019591:Pseudophakia / Q000503:physiopathology; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*