Table 1. Opacification of rat lenses analyzed by ocular staging.

	Incubation days
Groups	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
A	0 (0-0)	0 (0-0)	0 (0-0)	0 (0-0)	0 (0-0)	0 (0-0)	0 (0-0)
B	0 (0-0)	0 (0-0)	0 (0-0)	0 (0-0)	0 (0-1)a	1 (0-1)a	1 (0-1)b
C	0 (0-0)	0 (0-0)	0 (0-0)	0 (0-0)	0 (0-0)c	0 (0-0)c	0 (0-0)d

Lens opacification was assessed in control rat lenses or lenses treated with dexamethasone (Dex) or a combination of RU486 and dexamethasone (Ru486+Dex). Digital image analysis and ocular staging were performed by three independent observers. Following 7 days of incubation, lenses in the three groups were photographed daily with a stereomicroscope and graded for the development of opacity on a scale from 0 to 4, according to Mathur’s method, where 5 stages were given according to the lens clarity (Stage 0=clear lens, stage 1=lens with mist-like opacity, stage 2=lens with visible demarcation between nuclear and cortical regions, stage 3=lens with light nuclear opacification, stage 4=lens with dense nuclear opacity, stage 5=whole lens opacity). A=Control group; B=Dex group; C=RU486+Dex group. Values are expressed as medians (range of the ocular staging). Statistical analysis was performed using the Kruskal–Wallis H test. ^ap<0.05 B versus ^bp<0.01 B versus A. ^cp<0.05 C versus B. ^dp<0.01 C versus B.