Human posterior subcapsular cataract. A gross and flat preparation study.

Fifteen human lenses with posterior subcapsular cataracts (PSC) were examined en bloc and in flat preparations of the posterior capsules. The PSCs were polygonal to stellate in shape, showing some correlation with the sutural pattern. Most PSCs had a thin, semiliquefied zone centrally. All lenses showed superficial epithelial cells migrating posteriorly from one or more sectors of the equator. In these sectors, the epithelial nuclei were enlarged, with complete disorganization of the postequatorial nuclear rows. The migrating cells were stellate, layered, and in the larger cataracts, were oriented in a ring configuration around the liquefied central portion of the PSC and bladder and other proliferative cells tended to accumulate around the ring area. Control cataractous and aging lenses showed considerable irregularity of the postequatorial nuclear rows but only occasional migration toward the posterior pole.