The effects of glycols, aldehydes, and acrylamide on phase separation and opacification in the calf lens.

Glycols, aldehydes, and acrylamide inhibit the in vitro formation of cold cataracts in calf lenses. The inhibition is reversed when the glycols or the acrylamide are diffused out of the lenses. The inhibition by aldehydes or polacrylamide is irreversible, suggesting that the crosslinking reagents may permanently modify lens structure to prevent the development of lens opacities due to a phase transition.