Protective Effects of Viscoelastic Substances on air Bubble Damage During Phacoemulsification

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To determine whether viscoelastic materials are effective to protect the corneal endothelium from air bubble damage. METHODS: Human eye bank (n=12) and rabbit (n=22) eyes underwent a standardized phacoemulsification procedure with or without viscoelastic material [1% sodium hyaluronate (Healon(R)), 1.4% sodium hyaluronate (Healon GV(R)), 3% sodium hyaluronate with 4% chondroitin sulfate (Viscoat(R))]. The integrity of the endothelium was examined after the procedure with F-actin staining and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). RESULTS: In the phacoemulsification experiment without viscoelastic material, with Healon, and with Healon GV, the endothelium of both human and rabbit corneas had many areas of cell loss in a pattern consistent with air bubble damage. But with Viscoat, endothelial cells remained intact. CONCLUSIONS: We found that Viscoat was effective to protect the endothelium from air bubble damage. Viscoat seems to protect the endothelium by acting as a physical barrier.