Age-related changes of the ciliary sulcus: implications for implanting sulcus-fixated lenses

To examine age-related anatomical changes of the ciliary sulcus and the implication of these changes for placement of posterior chamber intraocular lenses (IOLs).

Department of Ophthalmology, University of Heidelberg, Germany.

In this study, 64 human autopsy eyes from 38 donors were divided by age into six groups from younger than 40 years (Group 1) to 80 years and older (Group 6) in 10 year increments. External diameter, capsular bag size, and lens thickness were determined for each eye. The horizontal and vertical diameters of the ciliary sulcus were measured and histological sectioning, staining, and light microscopy performed.

The external diameters of the eyes showed no age correlation; the lenses exhibited the expected increase in thickness with age. The mean vertical diameter of the ciliary sulcus decreased in all age groups from 12.02 mm +/- 0.12 (SD) to 10.71 +/- 0.91 mm and the mean horizontal diameter, from 11.36 +/- 0.24 mm to 10.33 +/- 0.76 mm. Statistical analysis confirmed the overall significance (P < .05) of the differences among age groups.

The ciliary sulcus became smaller with age. This might affect the size of sulcus-implanted IOLs and should be noted for transsclerally sutured IOLs.