Age-related changes in the canal of Schlemm.

A quantitative study of semi-thin sections through Schlemm's canal from 44 human eyes was undertaken. It was shown from counts of endothelial nuclei that the cell population decreased with age. The decrease in cell population was estimated from linear regression equations to be in the order of 430 cells per year for the whole canal and 320 cells per year for the canal's inner wall. Evidence was provided which indicated that counts of the giant vacuoles also decreased with age.