Intraocular lens bioactivity tested using rabbit corneal tissue cultures.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of different intraocular lens (IOL) materials on epithelial cell growth to test the sandwich theory; i.e., a bioactivity-based explanation of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) after cataract surgery.


METHODS
Central Hospital, Vaasa, and Institute of Dentistry and Turku Center for Biomaterials, University of Turku, Finland.


METHODS
Rabbit corneal tissue cultures were set up on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), heparin-surface-modified (HSM) PMMA, silicone, acrylate, and hydrogel IOLs for 1 week. The tissue consisted of intact epithelium and half the thickness of the corneal stroma, which was placed against the IOL. The growth of the epithelium was examined by light microscopy to evaluate the attachment of the corneal explant to the IOL surface.


RESULTS
All tissue samples grew well under the culture conditions. When grown on PMMA, HSM PMMA, silicone, and hydrogel, the tissue did not attach to the IOL or the epithelium grew around the explant, suggesting that the attachment of the stroma to the IOL was poor or nonexistent. Some explants on acrylate IOLs attached directly to the IOL surface with no epithelial ingrowth between the stroma and the IOL.


CONCLUSIONS
This tissue culture method can be used to examine the behavior of corneal tissue in contact with different IOL materials. The results suggest that the acrylate IOL may have bioactive properties. This, with the lens optic's square edge, may hinder lens epithelial cell proliferation and thus prevent PCO.
Linnola
R J
RJ
Department of Ophthalmology, Central Hospital, Vaasa, Finland.
Salonen
J I
JI
Happonen
R P
RP
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D006493:Heparin; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D008689:Methacrylates; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate; D011817:Rabbits; D012826:Silicone Elastomers
D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D008689:Methacrylates; D012826:Silicone Elastomers; C005044:hydroxyethyl methacrylate; D006493:Heparin; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate