The refractive structure and optical properties of the isolated crystalline lens of the cat

Direct measurements of the shape and internal refractive index distribution of the isolated cat lens were used to construct individual optical models of the lenses from the left eyes of five cats. The right eyes were used in a companion study of the optics of the cat eye. The lens refractive index spatial distribution and dispersion were measured with a specially designed Pulfrich areal refractometer. Agreement of calculated ray paths through these models with the observed paths of laser beam fans incident parallel to, and at an oblique angle to the lens axis indicates that the models, which contain no freely adjustable parameters, are good physical and optical representations of the isolated (accommodated) crystalline lenses.