Congenital Absence of the Lens, With Special Reference to an Aphakic Human Embyro

CONGENITAL absence of the lens is of such rare occurrence that some observers have denied that it is ever found apart from gross malformations such as anophthalmos and severe degrees of microph- thalmos. From time to time, however, cases have been reported clinically, but have not been verified by microscopic examination. All these cases, as far as I am aware, occurred in America, and the first was reported by Baker in 1887. The details in this case are so meagre that very little information can be gained from the account. Since then other cases have been reported by Cherryholmes (1902), Adams, Hardy and Sherer (1915). In Cherryholmes' case there was microphthalmos with an interpupillary distance of only 1; inch, and also nystagmus, convergent strabismus and amblyopia.