Dynamic Light Scattering for Studying Lens Aging and Cataract Formation

A new non invasive, in vivo technique to study the molecular changes in the human lens, called Dynamic Light Scattering Device (DLS), has recently been developed. Preliminary studies have shown its potential to detect the earliest changes in cataract, at the stage where anti-cataract treatment would be most effective in reversing, delaying or preventing cataracts. A new miniaturized version of this device has been developed by NASA using lower energy lasers, and under a NASA-NEI Inter Agency Agreement, has been successfully developed into a clinical device at the NEI. We recently conducted pilot studies to evaluate the usefulness and reproducibility of this instrument for quantitating human lens changes, and found good reproducibility. We also derived a useful parameter to use with this new technique, the log mean particle size, derived from particle size distribution data. Preliminary studies have also shown that the NASA-NEI DLS device can be used to detect and monitor molecular changes in early cataract formation as well as in normal aging. We therefore propose to conduct a larger cross sectional clinical study to detect and monitor molecular changes in the lens in early cataract formation and in normal aging.