Surface and bio-adhesion properties of new hydrophobic and current materials for artificial intraocular lens

A high bio-adhesion appears to be one of the key factor for posterior capsular opacification (PCO) prevention. Indeed, the proteins adsorption and the lens epithelial cells (LEC) adhesion both contribute to PCO development. We present in this work the comparison of a new glistening free hydrophobic material (GF® from Physiol) with benchmark hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials regarding their chemicophysical properties and their respective ability to interact with lens epithelial cells and proteins. For this purpose, we determined the hydrophobicity by contact angle measurement (assessed by water drop and air bubble methods), the surface adhesiveness by atomic force microscopy (AFM), the proteins adsorption by fluorescent measurement and the LEC adhesion by the determination of cell density. The new hydrophobic material presents comparable hydrophobicity, proteins adsorption and LEC adhesion to current commercial hydrophobic material. Its adhesiveness, measured with the AFM, is intermediate between hydrophilic and hydrophobic materials.
In conclusion, the bio-adhesion properties of this new glistening free hydrophobic IOL material are similar to generic hydrophobic acrylic materials and therefore should to the same extent prevent PCO.