Cell adhesion to acrylic intraocular lens associated with lens surface properties

PURPOSE: To examine the number cells adhering to acrylic intraocular lenses (IOLs) having different degrees of surface roughness and acrylic IOLs having different contact angles. SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. METHODS: In this study, VA-60 CB acrylic IOLs were used. After different durations of polishing of the optics, the roughness values of the lenses were set at 10.0 nm, 2.5 nm, and 0.7 nm. Intraocular lenses were also chemically coated to achieve angles of contact of 100 degrees and 57.5 degrees, with untreated IOLs having a 93.5-degree angle of contact. Intraocular lenses were cultured for 96 hours in 1 x 10(7) spleen cells/mL of developed experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis, and the number of cells adhering to the IOLs was counted. RESULTS: Fewer cells adhered to the optics of IOLs with lower roughness values, and fewer cells adhered to the IOL surface with increased contact angles. CONCLUSION: Hydrophobic optics with small roughness values of acrylic IOLs may reduce the number of adherent cells and escaped the unexpected inflammatory cell reaction associated with intraocular inflammation in the eye.