A determination of the velocity of ultrasound in cataractous lenses.

The velocity of sound determinations made in this study are the result of measurements accurate to 0.5 m/sec. The velocity of sound in a series of 50 cataractous lenses was found to be an average of 1,629 m/sec, 11 m/sec slower than that of normal adult lenses. The velocity of sound found in a smaller series of child lenses was 1,659 m/sec, 30 m/sec faster than the cataractous adult lens. It is postulated that this represents a trend of decreasing velocity of sound in the lens with increasing age.