Young (less than 1 year) and old (greater than 15 years) Rhesus monkeys were utilized in this study in order to determine whether ultraviolet (UV) radiation at ambient levels induces psoralen photobinding in primate eyes (in particular the lens and retina). Unilateral aphakia or pseudophakia was induced surgically and the eyes were allowed to heal. The animals then were given a single intraperitoneal injection of 3H 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) and immediately exposed to BLB lights (of measured radiation intensity at the corneal surface). The animals were killed at varying time periods (2-6 weeks), and the eyes were removed immediately. One-half of each cornea and lens was frozen for subsequent optical spectroscopy and the remaining ocular tissues were fixed for histopathologic studies and autoradiography. These data demonstrate that low level UV radiation (less than 0.4 mW/cm2) can cause 8-MOP photobinding to lens proteins and DNA and to aphakic, pseudophakic, and young phakic primate retinas. The older phakic primate lens serves as a protective UV filter and prevents psoralen photobinding within the retina. These data suggest that older aphakes and pseudophakes may require UV radiation protection to prevent direct as well as photosensitized retinal photodamage.