ABSTRACT
The surface of a silicone-disc intraocular lens (IOL) was hydrophilized by plasma etching (oxygen plasma) and compared to an untreated but otherwise identical IOL. Various methods of surface analysis were used to characterize the modification (e.g., X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, contact angle estimation). A cytotoxic effect of the modified surface was excluded by cell culture experiments evaluating cell spreading, cell morphology, DNA and protein synthesis. In vivo experiments on rabbits indicated that the postoperative foreign-body reaction was not significantly affected by the hydrophilization of the IOL surface. Throughout the entire follow-up (12 weeks) we found less induced posterior synechias in the eyes with hydrophilized lenses than in those with untreated lenses (P = .009). While the IOL dislocations out of the capsular bag and the posterior capsular opacification rate did not differ significantly between the two groups of eyes, we did see special patterns of posterior capsular opacification on the posterior capsules of eyes with the hydrophilized IOL.
Subject(s)
Cataract/etiology , Foreign-Body Reaction/etiology , Lens Capsule, Crystalline/pathology , Lenses, Intraocular/adverse effects , Animals , Cataract/pathology , Cell Division , Female , Foreign-Body Reaction/pathology , Giant Cells/ultrastructure , Macrophages/ultrastructure , Microscopy, Electron, Scanning , Rabbits , Silicone Elastomers/pharmacology , Surface Properties , Tumor Cells, Cultured/drug effectsABSTRACT
When oxygen plasma was used for plasma etching it was possible to hydrophilize the surface of silicone intraocular lenses (IOLs) without changing the chemical composition or the properties of deeper layers of the polymer. The modification was characterized by surface analysis. (Electron spectroscopy = XPS, contact angle estimations) and by scanning electron microscope. A cytotoxic influence of the modified surface could be excluded by cell culture experiments in which we evaluated cell spreading, cell morphology, DNA synthesis and protein synthesis. In vivo experiments on rabbits showed that the postoperative foreign body reaction was not significantly influenced by the hydrophilization of the IOL surface. Over the entire follow-up period (12 weeks), there was a reduced tendency to induce posterior synechiae in the group with hydrophilized lenses (P = 0.009). The number of dislocations and the incidence of posterior opacification did not differ significantly; on the other hand there were indications of improved adhesion to the posterior lens capsule of the hydrophilized IOL.
