BIOMECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HUMAN ANTERIOR LENS CAPSULE IN RELATION TO AGE

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of age on the biomechanical properties of the human anterior lens capsule . Methods. The material comprised 67 lens capsules obtained from human donors ranging in age from 7 months to 98 years. Test specimens were prepared from the anterior lens capsule as tissue rings by means of ex cimer laser technique using a metal ring (mask) to shape the laser out put (outer diameter = 3.2 mm, width = 100 mu m). Capsular thickness wa s measured under microscope as the difference in focus between microsp herules placed on the outer and inner surfaces of the capsule. The rin gs were slipped over two pins connected to a motorized micropositioner and a force transducer, respectively, and stretched at constant speed until rupture, with continuous recording of load and elongation. Resu lts. Capsular thickness was associated significantly with age of the d onors and increased gradually (1.2% per year) until age 75, after whic h a slight decrease was observed. The elastic response curves showed a high degree of nonlinearity and were influenced markedly by age. Ulti mate strain decreased 0.5% per year (range, 108% to 40%). Ultimate ten sile strength decreased 1% per year (range, 17.5 N/mm(2) to 1.5 N/mm(2 )), and ultimate elastic stiffness (tangent modulus) decreased 0.9% pe r year (range, 44.8 N/mm(2) to 4.4 N/mm(2)), whereas elastic stiffness corresponding to a specific strain level (30%) increased until age 35 , after which a slight decrease was observed. Conclusions. Aging of th e human anterior lens capsule is associated with a progressive loss of mechanical strength. The young capsule is strong, tough, and highly e xtensible, whereas the older, thicker capsule is less extensible and m uch more brittle, and it has a markedly reduced breaking strength.