Analysis of intraocular lens surface adhesiveness by atomic force microscopy.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze intraocular lens (IOL) optic surface adhesiveness using atomic force microscopy (AFM).


METHODS
LiCryL Laboratory, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy.


METHODS
The surface adhesive properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), silicone, hydrophilic acrylic, and hydrophobic acrylic IOLs were evaluated by AFM. Analysis was performed at room temperature (21 degrees C) in a liquid environment using the force-versus-distance mode of a commercial instrument (NanoScope III). Measurements were acquired with rectangular silicon cantilevers of a nominal elastic constant of 10 Newton/m. The nominal value of the tip's radius of curvature was 1 mum, and the scanning speed during the acquisitions ranged from 10 to 400 nm/s.


RESULTS
The adhesion force measurements showed different characteristics for the various types of IOLs (P<.001, analysis of variance). The hydrophobic acrylic IOL had the largest mean adhesive force (283.75 nanoNewton [nN] +/- 0.14 [SD]) followed by the hydrophilic acrylic (84.76 +/- 0.94 nN), PMMA (45.77 +/- 0.47 nN), and silicone (2.10 +/- 0.01 nN) IOLs.


CONCLUSIONS
The surface properties of the biomaterials used to manufacture IOLs are important because they can influence the incidence and severity of posterior capsule opacification (PCO). Although further studies are necessary to elucidate the mechanism of PCO development and the interface interactions between the IOL and capsule, the results in this study may bolster the theory of manufacturing more-adhesive materials to prevent PCO.
Lombardo
Marco
M
Vision Engineering, Rome, Italy. mlombardo@visioeng.it
Carbone
Giovanni
G
Lombardo
Giuseppe
G
De Santo
Maria P
MP
Barberi
Riccardo
R
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D000268:Adhesiveness; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate; D012826:Silicone Elastomers
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D012826:Silicone Elastomers; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate