Optical Opacity by Interaction of Silicone Material and Silicone Oil in Vitro

ABSTRACT

Although the results of foldable intraocular lens are generally excellent, there are several complications. After cataract surgery with silicone lens, the patients with vitreoretinal surgery using silicone oil have not only visual acuity decrease, but also visual abberations such as halos and rainbow patterns. To report a newly defined complication, we studied the silicone lens-silicone oil interaction. The nonimplanted ilicone, acryl and PMMA lens, ten cases each, had been incubated in silicon oil at 36C for 9 months. After removal from the oil, each lens was examined and photograp hed by scanning electron microscopy every week. Appearance of lens surface and degree of adherence of the silicone oil to each IOL`s optic were estimated. Oily residue on the PMMA and acryl lens was removed easily and shown clear surface. In case of silicone lens, presence of distinct film or coating of oil was shown on the surface of both the optic and haptic component of IOL`s. They could not be removed with mechanical pressure with injected balanced saline solution and the oily residue remained strongly adherent to the optic surface. After 9 weeks, gelly-like adherence was appe ared on the silicone lens surface. As a result, the use of silicone IOL`s in patients with current vitreoretinal disease or those who are at high risk for future vitreoretinal disease that may require silicone oil as part of the therapy should be reconsidered.