A new method for documenting lens opacities.

We tested an anterior segment camera and digital analyzer on 32 eyes of 22 patients to determine whether its measurement of lens opacities correlated with measurements obtained by a standardized clinical grading system. The lenses were graded clinically for nuclear opacity, nuclear color, cortical opacity, and posterior subcapsular opacity. The lenses were then photographed and analyzed with this new device, and the results were compared. The camera system showed good reproducibility. Its results correlated well with the clinical gradings for nuclear capacity (P = .001) and cortical opacity (P = .001) but less well with posterior subcapsular opacity (P = .3), although there were only seven eyes with posterior subcapsular opacities. This camera system could help document and follow up lens opacity with more accuracy and reproducibility than has been previously possible.