Abstract
Retrodots are common perinuclear features of age-related cataract. Clinical observation suggested that retrodots were associated with increased nuclear scatter. To test this hypothesis, retrospective data were analysed from 78 non-diabetic subjects (118 eyes), of at least 50 years of age, who had neither subscapsular nor axial spoke opacities. Retrodots were graded using the Oxford Clinical Cataract Classification and Grading system and central nuclear scatter was assessed by image analysis of Scheimpflug photographic negatives. Regression analysis in groups was performed according to the “intra-class correlation model” either considering retrodots as a graded feature (grades 0-5) or as a dichotomous variable (present or absent). After adjusting for age (treated as a co-variate), a highly significant association (P<10-6) was found between retrodots and increased nuclear scatter in each analysis. It is suggested that the co-existence of these two cataract types may reflect a common cataractogenic mechanism, possibly oxidative stress.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Bron AJ and Brown NAP : Perinuclear lens retrodots: a role for ascorbate in cataractogenesis. B J Ophthalmol 1987, 71: 86–95.
Brown NAP : The visibility of transparent objects in the eye by retro-illumination. B J Ophthalmol 1971, 55: 517–24.
Hiller R, Sperduto RD, Ederer F : Epidemiologic associations with nuclear, cortical and posterior subcapsular cataract. Am J Epidemiol 1986, 124: 916–25.
Sparrow JM, Bron AJ, Brown NAP, Hill AR, Ayliffe W : The Oxford clinical cataract classification and grading system. Int Ophthalmol 1986; 9: 207–25.
Sparrow JM, Ayliffe W, Bron AJ, Brown NAP, Hill AR : Inter-Obseryer and intra-observer variability of the Oxford clinical cataract classification and grading system. Int Ophthalmol 1988, 11: 151–7.
Chylack LT, Leske C, McCarthy D, Khu P, Kashiwati T, Sperduto R : Lens opacities classification system II (LOCS II). Arch Ophthalmol 1989, 107: 991–7.
Getty DJ, Pickett RM, Chylack LT, Leske C, McCarthy D, Huggins AWF : An enriched set of features of nuclear cataract identified by multidimensional scaling. Curr Eye Res 1989, 8/1: 1–8.
Brown NAP : Quantitative slit-image photography of the lens. Trans Ophthalmol Soc UK 1972, 92: 303–17.
Sparrow J, Brown NAP, Bron AJ, Shun-Shin GA : The Oxford modular cataract image analysis system. Eye 1990, 4: 638–48.
Sparrow JM : The lens in diabetes. D. Phil Thesis, Linacre College, University of Oxford. 1988.
Brown NAP : The Oxford Retro-illumination cataract recording camera: a new instrument. J Audiovis Media in Med 1988, 11: 58–60.
Rosner B : Statistical methods in ophthalmology: an adjustment for the intra-correlation between eyes. Biometrics 1982, 38: 105–14.
Ederer F : Shall we count numbers of eyes or numbers of subjects? Arch Ophthalmol 1973, 89: 1–2.
Ray WA, O'Day DM, Head WS et al: Statistical analysis for experimental models of ocular disease: continuous response measures. Curr. Eye Res 1985, 4: 585–97.
Harding CV, Chylack LT, Susan SR, Lo W-K, Brobowski WF : Calcium-containing opacities in the human lens. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci: 83, 1194–1202.
Benedek GB : Theory of the transparency of the lens. Applied Optics 1971, 10: 459–73.
Spector A, Li S, Sigelman J : Age-dependent changes in the molecular size of human lens proteins and their relationship to light scatter. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 1974, 13: 795–801.
Harding J and Crabbe MJC : The lens: development, proteins, metabolism and cataract. In: Davson H. The Eye. Vol lb. Vegetative physiology and biochemistry. London: Academic Press 1984, 207–192.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shun-Shin, G., Bron, A., Brown, N. et al. The relationship between central nuclear scatter and perinuclear retrodots in the human crystalline lens. Eye 6, 407–410 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1992.84
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1992.84
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
Lens retrodots and vacuoles and their associations with the prevalence and incidence of age-related cataract
Eye (2012)
-
Risk factors for cataract subtypes waterclefts and retrodots: two case–control studies
Eye (2006)
-
Spatial distribution of back scattering in the nuclear area of the non-cataractous human lens
Eye (1994)
-
The morphology of cataract and visual performance
Eye (1993)