Influence of the Lens Lipids on Its Physical Characteristics
The aim of investigation is a study of the lens lipid influence on its physical characteristics.
Materials and Methods. 114 patients at the age of 55 to 78 years with a cataract of a different degree of maturity are selected for investigation. The clinical investigations of the lens in vivo, investigations of the lens nucleus lipids and the lipid peroxidation in vitro were conducted.
Results. It is established, that the most important link in the lens function disturbance processes is the lens fiber biological membrane lipids. A reverse strong dependence between the accommodation volume and nucleus hardness, a strong direct dependence between a content of the polyunsaturated fatty acids and the lens hardness (r=0.7; p<0.05) is revealed, a dependence of the lens hardness on a chemiluminescence sum (r=0.8; p<0.01) is revealed. The lens ageing is accompanied by its color alteration, frequently to a brown tint increase. An acquisition of the lens nucleus brown color with age is connected with accumulation of chromaatophores, which actively participate in the lipid peroxidation processes, damage the fiber membranes and increase the lens nucleus mechanical hardness, possessing of the double chemical bonds. An accumulation of the peroxidation secondary products significantly influences the lens mechanical properties (r=0.84; p<0.01).
