THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LENS

Abstract
DEVELOPMENT OF THE LENS The lens is peculiarly susceptible to variations from the normal because : first, in its development it must pass through a complicated cycle of changes wherein at any point its growth may become aberrant ; second, it is surrounded by a number of equally mutable tissues which through their developmental defects may cause secondary deviations in the lens, and third, the delicacy of the lens offers comparatively little resistance to trauma and disease and predisposes to the formation of opacities. Many of these abnormalities are important from the standpoint of visual acuity, while others are relatively insignificant. All, however, are given added interest, and their clinical meaning is clarified when they are interpreted as phenomena occurring at some stage of the developmental history. Human material suitable for study is scarce; even in animals it was difficult to obtain a complete series in any one species. I