Studies on diabetic cataract in rats induced by streptozotocin. I. Photodocumentation of lens opacification.

The course of development of cataract in diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin was followed with photoslit lamp during a 14-week period, and the process of cataract was divided into six stages. Until stage III, two types of lens opacification were distinguished. In lenses called type A, vacuoles spread from the equator of the superficial cortex, while in lenses called type B, a diffuse cloudiness progresses in the deep cortex with little vacuolization. At stage IV, the vacuoles disappeared and type A opacities resemble those of type B. At stage V, opalescent changes became visible near the central part of lens after 6 weeks. At stage VI, the whole lens had become cloudy.