What Are the Causes of Eye Lens Subluxation?

The lens in the human eyeball is located directly behind the iris and pupil. It is suspended from the ciliary body of the eyeball by a series of ligaments 360 degrees around the lens. These ligaments are composed of connective tissue similar to the other ligaments in the human body.

Causes

• Review of Optometry states that lens subluxation, or dislocation, can be caused by Marfan's syndrome, Weill-Marchesani syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and aniridia. Trauma to the eyeball can also cause lens subluxation.

Marfan's Syndrome

• Marfan's syndrome is a condition that affects the connective tissue in the human body. It causes a person to be abnormally tall and to have abnormally long appendages. This is in addition to lens subluxation.

Other Connective Tissue Disorders

• Weill-Marchesani syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome are also connective disorders that cause lens subluxation in addition to similar symptoms to Marfan's syndrome. Any disorder that affects connective tissue in the body will affect the connective tissue in the eye, possibly leading to lens subluxation.

Aniridia

• Aniridia is the absence of an iris in the eyeball. This condition is generally present from birth. The lack of an iris causes the lens to lack structural support, allowing it to become subluxated.

Trauma

• Blunt trauma to the eyeball can happen with enough force that it causes the ligaments suspending the lens to break, resulting in subluxation. Penetrating eye trauma from a sharp object can cause the suspending ligaments to be cut, also resulting in lens subluxation.