[Simultaneous measurement of the tension, elongation, and refractive power of the bovine lens zonule].

We developed a device to measure simultaneously the tension and elongation of the lens zonules, and the refractive power of the lens in 12 bovine eyes. Each sample, which consisted of the lens-zonuleciliary body was fixed to the device at the position of the ciliary process from four directions, and was stretched radially in a container filled with saline solution. The tension was measured by a force transducer, the elongation by a laser-displacement-meter, and the refractive power by a Campbell type refractometer. The refractive power of the lens in the relaxed condition was 24.6 +/- 3.4 D (n = 12, mean +/- standard deviation). When samples were stretched 1 mm from the relaxed condition, the increased change in tension was 2.8 +/- 1.5 g, and the decreased change in refractive power was 1.8 +/- 1.2 D.