The measurement and interpretation of Brillouin scattering in the lens of the eye

Abstract

Brillouin scattering from hypersonic waves in the eye lenses of many animals has been observed with a multipass Fabry Perot interferometer. The measured values of speed and attenuation range widely among the different species and in different parts of any one lens. These variations correlate broadly with the observed stiffness and the densities that have been measured with a graded column. From the spectroscopic and density measurements high-frequency elastic moduli may be derived. The results are also evaluated at a macromolecular level in terms of scattering of hypersonic waves from spherical entities composed of the crystallins and their aggregates. Reasonable agreement is obtained for the hypersonic speed for lower protein concentration; the hypersonic attenuation and variation with scattering vector are consistent with the presence of large aggregates (of order 100 nm radius) in certain of the materials.