Light absorption characteristics of the lens capsule.

Spectrophotometric measurement of the absorption characteristics of the lens capsule was carried out on 20 cases of so-called complicated or senile cataract operated through intracapsular cataract extraction (ICCE). The lens capsule almost completely transmitted visible radiation (between 400 and 750 nm) and near-ultraviolet (UV) radiation (between 300 and 400 nm). In the UV portion below 300 nm, the lens capsule showed one absorption peak at 280 nm and rapid increase of absorbance below 240 nm. These results reveal that the capsule of the cataractous lens retains a high degree of transparency, but its function as a UV filter is negligible.