What does this research mean for the field?

Microplastics are present in cataractous crystalline lenses and intraocular outflow fluids, indicating potential exposure during cataract surgery. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.NOVEL_FINDING. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This research examines the presence of microplastics in surgical tools and intraocular fluids during cataract operations.

March 13, 2026Open Access

Microplastics exposures in cataract surgery and potential clinical concerns

Key Points

This research examines the presence of microplastics in surgical tools and intraocular fluids during cataract operations.
Collected surgical solutions and devices from cataract surgery cases.
Measured microplastics using raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy.
Analyzed intraocular fluids and crystalline lenses for microplastics presence.
Compared samples collected in plastic and glass containers.
No microplastics were found in saline or balanced salt solution.
Intraocular outflow fluids showed significantly higher microplastic concentrations, with one sample detecting up to 50.4 ± 0.3/mL.
Cataractous crystalline lenses contained an average of 12.3 ± 5.8 microplastics per 100 mg.
Polyethylene and polypropylene fragments were identified in ocular inflow fluids, along with other polymers in outflow fluids and lenses.

Abstract

Microplastic (MP) exposures have been a significant global public health concern. Cataract surgery is the most frequently performed ocular surgery worldwide, and various plastic tools are used in cataract surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of MPs in surgical devices, intraocular fluids, and cataractous crystalline lenses in cataract surgery. We collected surgical solutions/devices (irrigation saline, balanced salt solution BSS, and ophthalmic viscosurgical device OVD), ocular inflow/outflow fluids from six phacoemulsification cases, cataractous crystalline lenses from two extracapsular cataract extraction patients, and operating room (OR) air samples. Numbers and characteristics of MPs were measured using raman spectroscopy and surface morphologies of MPs were measured using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy. There were no MPs in saline or BSS in syringes nor in OVD. A small number of MPs were detected in ocular inflow fluids (mean ± standard deviation SD = 0.1 ± 0.1/mL) and OR air (mean ± SD = 0.5 ± 0.3/mL). Higher concentrations were observed in intraocular outflow fluid, with one plastic bag-collected sample showing 50.4 ± 0.3/mL, compared with 1.5(± 1.4)-7.2(± 3.5)/mL in other patients whose samples were collected in glass containers. MPs were also detected in cataractous crystalline lens (mean ± SD = 12.3 ± 5.8/100 mg). Ocular inflow fluids contained only 10-19 μm polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) fragments. However, intraocular outflow fluids and cataractous crystalline lenses contained smaller 5-9 μm fragments and fibers of six polymer types: PE, PP, polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyamide (PA). Patients who had other ocular diseases within past three years or who had diabetes at the time of surgery showed higher concentrations of total MPs and PE (P < 0.05). MPs can be exposed into eyeball during cataract surgery, potentially from surgical instruments or indoor air. Substantial intraocular MP contamination exists prior to surgery rather than from external surgical sources.

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Cite This Study

Choi et al. (Tue,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69b3ac3f02a1e69014ccdb9a https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-42648-z

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