[7] The capsule is attached to the surrounding eye by numerous suspensory ligaments and in turn suspends the rest of the lens in an appropriate position.

It is permeable to low molecular weight compounds,[8] but restricts the movement of larger things like bacteria, viruses and large colloidal particles.

[clarification needed] The thickest portion is the annular region surrounding the anterior pole.

[clarification needed][11] The ligaments suspending the lens form attachments in the equatorial area and more so just to the front and back of the equator.

[14] As shown in the accompanying micrographs and diagrams, equatorial cells can have periodic cellular processes penetrating the capsule.The structures in the images are consistent with the laying down of new capsular material required for growth.

Due to this zonular tension anterior lens surface is flatter resulting in more distant objects being in focus.

When ciliary muscles contract, the zonular tension will reduce allowing lens to assume more spherical shape.

The process of changing the lens's focusing power to see closer objects more clearly is known as accommodation.

Capsule is evident at 5 weeks of human gestation and begins its role in protecting and supporting the lens interior.

In intra-capsular cataract extraction (ICCE), the whole lens including the anterior part of the capsule is removed.