title: Viscoelastic agents.
abstract: Viscoelastic materials possess a unique set of properties that result from their chemical structure. These properties enable them to protect the corneal endothelium and epithelium from mechanical trauma and to maintain an intraocular space, such as the anterior or vitreous chambers, even in the face of an open incision. Hence viscoelastic materials have been successfully applied to many areas of ophthalmic surgery, most notably anterior segment surgery, with few complications. There are currently three commercially available viscoelastic preparations, and several new preparations are in various stages of development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis.
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Lindstrom
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Skelnik
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000869:Anterior Eye Segment / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D002807:Chondroitin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates; D004338:Drug Combinations / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008747:Methylcellulose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009799:Ocular Physiological Phenomena; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D000099166:Polyacrylamides
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D002807:Chondroitin; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D008747:Methylcellulose; D000099166:Polyacrylamides; C501944:chondroitin sulfate, sodium hyaluronate drug combination