Measurement of stability of crystalline lens

The perception of vision is a dynamic process, with the eyes moving continuously to keep objects of attention on the fovea.

The crystalline lens inside the eye is attached to the ocular walls by elastic ligaments (zonular ligaments). When the eye moves, the lens also moves. This movement of the lens (oscillations or ‘wobbling’) can continue even after the eye stops. Generally, the ‘wobbling’ time is very short, and we barely notice it.

The ligaments that hold the lens to the eye can be affected in some ocular conditions, for instance, in pseudoexfoliation syndrome and Marfan syndrome. The implantation of intra ocular lenses (IOLs) following cataract surgery can also increase the magnitude of these oscillations. If this continues, the lens could get misaligned within the eye or 'dislocated', a condition called ectopia lentis. This requires immediate surgery and the lens has to be removed and replaced by an artificial lens.

Currently there are no commercial methods to quantify the ‘wobbling’ of the lens. We have developed new technology to assess lens wobbling, using high-speed cameras to quantify how firmly the lens is attached to the eye.

This is a fully innovative and unique and shows great promise to benefit patients who are suffering from conditions that affect the stability of the crystalline lens.

Dr Juan Tabernero
Professor Shahina Pardhan
Megan Vaughan
Dr Aman Chandra (Southend NHS Trust)
Professor Pablo Artal (Universidad de Murcia)
Dr Haseeb Akram (Southend University Hospital)

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