Healing response of the epithelium after lateral needle injury of mouse lens.

Characteristic changes of the epithelial healing process in germinative and equatorial zones of the ddY mouse lens were studied morphologically. After germinative zone injury, the wound was covered by proliferating epithelial cells which increased and migrated posteriorly as a function of time after injury. Epithelial posterior migration from the lens equator was mild. By contrast, with equatorial injury, the wound was covered by proliferated epithelial cells. Moreover, the equatorial area was characterized by disconfiguration of the lens bow and posterior epithelial migration. The results suggest that the larger capsulectomy in IOL operation, which damages the peripheral part of the lens epithelium, might contribute to secondary cataract.