title: Measuring the cataractous lens.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the lens thickness, anterior cortex space, nucleus thickness, and posterior cortex space in cataractous eyes and compare them with those in eyes of younger patients with clear lenses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Private practice, Lynwood, California, USA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study evaluated a group of cataractous eyes and compared them with a group of eyes of younger patients with clear lenses. All measurements were performed with a biometer (Lenstar LS 900).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cataractous group (200 eyes) had a greater mean lens thickness (4.65 mm ± 0.41 [SD]) than the control group (80 eyes) (4.09 ± 0.33 mm). The mean measured values for the cataractous groups and control groups were 0.84 ± 0.21 mm and 0.35 ± 0.11 mm for anterior cortex space, 3.31 ± 0.25 mm and 3.27 ± 0.27 mm for mean nucleus thickness, and 0.51 ± 0.16 mm and 0.48 ± 0.13 mm for mean posterior cortex space, respectively. Anterior cortex space, nucleus thickness, and posterior cortex space correlated positively with lens thickness (r = 0.69, r = 0.69, and r = 0.59, respectively). Lens thickness, anterior cortex space, nucleus thickness, and posterior cortex space showed a weak inverse correlation with axial length (r = 0.06, r = 0.08, r = 0.10, and r = 0.10, respectively) and an inverse correlation with anterior chamber depth (r = 0.57, r = 0.43, r = 0.42, and r = 0.22, respectively). Lens thickness showed a positive correlation with age (r = 0.28), as did the anterior cortex space (r = 0.32) and posterior cortex space (r = 0.26), but nucleus thickness did not show a positive correlation (r = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lens thickness increased with age and with cataract formation and was mostly attributable to an increase in the anterior cortex space.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Neither author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Ophthalmology (H.J. Shammas), the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and the Shammas Eye Medical Center (H.J. Shammas, M.C. Shammas), Lynwood, California, USA. Electronic address: jshammas@shammaseye.com.
authors.forename: H John
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Shammas
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Ophthalmology (H.J. Shammas), the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and the Shammas Eye Medical Center (H.J. Shammas, M.C. Shammas), Lynwood, California, USA.
authors.forename: Maya C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Shammas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D000867:Anterior Chamber / Q000473:pathology; D058452:Axial Length, Eye / Q000473:pathology; D001699:Biometry / Q000295:instrumentation; D002386:Cataract / Q000473:pathology*; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007904:Lens Cortex, Crystalline / Q000473:pathology*; D007907:Lens Nucleus, Crystalline / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies