Ultraviolet light transmission of the lens capsule

A Cary, Model 118, spectrophotometer was used to measure spectral absorbence by the human lens capsule of wavelengths 200 nm to 400 nm. The lens capsule transmits greater than 90% of the incident UV light, and thus does not appear to provide significant protection for the retina from UV radiation. This suggests that the lower incidence of aphakic cystoid macula edema in the eye with an intact posterior capsule is not related to UV light absorption by the lens capsule.