Imaging Lens Deposits in Exfoliation Syndrome

The purpose of this study is to use a special eye imaging technique, anterior segment
optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT), to image the lens (the curved, transparent part of
the eye that helps you to see clearly by directing images of light onto the back of your
eye) and note any changes in exfoliation syndrome. Exfoliation syndrome is a common
condition that has many ways of showing up in the eye, including the formation of deposits
in the eye, shakiness of the lens that can complicate cataract surgery, and a higher chance
of developing a type of glaucoma called exfoliation glaucoma. In this study we plan to
collect images and measure exfoliation deposits on the lens with AS-OCT, which can take high
resolution pictures of the eye without requiring contact with the eye. We will compare lens
images of subjects with exfoliation syndrome to those of subjects with primary open angle
glaucoma and cataracts. This type of imaging could be used in patients with known diagnosis
of exfoliation syndrome to track disease progression and see how they respond to possible
treatments. We also hope that with this imaging technology we can detect early changes in
currently unaffected eyes, which could be useful for predicting which patients may develop
the disease.