Scanning and transmission electron microscopy study of anterior lens epithelium in presenile cataract

Purpose To study the structure of lens epithelial cells (LECs) in the anterior lens epithelium of presenile cataract and to further explore the possible reasons for presenile cataract development. Methods The anterior lens capsules (aLCs) of patients with presenile cataracts and patients with ordinary age-related cataracts were obtained from routine cataract surgery, and the 5–5.5 mm circles of the central aLC were cut in half and prepared for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results The most obvious structural changes in the LECs observed in both cataract groups by TEM were uneven thickness of the anterior lens epithelium, vacuolated cytoplasm and elongated nuclei. SEM showed abnormal structural changes in the LECs, with swollen cells and spheres on the anterior lens epithelium observed in both groups and holes formed by the LECs stretching observed only in the presenile cataract patients. The degeneration of the anterior lens epithelium and the structural changes in the LECs were observed more prominently in presenile cataract patients. Conclusions Abnormal and prominently affected structural features of LECs were observed in the presenile compared to age-related cataract patients by TEM and SEM. We suppose that ultrastructural pathological changes in the anterior lens epithelial cells are one of the important reasons for the development of presenile and age-related cataract.