title: Chemical studies of intraocular lenses after experimental generation of lesions by a short-pulsed Nd-YAG laser.
abstract: It is theoretically possible that lesions generated by a Q-switched Nd-YAG laser could lead to chemical changes in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) intraocular lenses. These changes could be of clinical relevance. Therefore, we measured the residual monomer content of intraocular lenses before and after generation of lesions by means of a short-pulsed Nd-YAG laser. Despite the explosive destruction of the lens surface caused by this type of laser, there is no measurable release of monomer in the sense of a depolymerization of the PMMA material, even when over 100 lesions are generated. The lesions generated on intraocular PMMA lenses with the Nd-YAG laser are predominantly of a mechanical nature and include the chipping away of small particles from the intraocular lens.
mesh_terms: D007834:Lasers / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D008768:Methylmethacrylates / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D008768:Methylmethacrylates