BIOCOMPATIBILITY OF POLYVINYLALCOHOL AS LENS REFILLING

We have developed an intraocular lens that restores ocular accomodation. In designing an intraocular lens with the capability of accomodation, it is essential that the substance refilling the lens capsule does not induce posterior capsular opacification (PCO). We compared the effect of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinyl pryrrolidone (PVP) and silicone on the cultured bovine lens epithelial cells (LECs). We evaluated the cell prolifera- tion, the growth potential, the contractile activity and the morphological change of LECs. Growth potential was measured by BrdU immunohistochemical staining, contractile activ- ity was measured by α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression and morphological change of LECs was observed via phase-contrast microscopy. The presence of PVP and silicone in the culture medium did not inhibit proliferation of LECs, and α-SMA-positive cells appeared in the medium containing silicone. The results suggest that silicone may induce PCO. Growth potential, detected by immunohistochemistry of BrdU, showed no difference between PVA, PVP, and silicone. The pres"ence of PVA in the cultured medium inhibited proliferation of LECs, did not produce α-SMA-positive cells, and changed the morphology of LECs to be spherical. The effect was dose-dependent. PVA also suppressed intercellular adhesion. PVA promises to be a candidate as refilling substance of the lens capsule, although further investigation with regard to its biocompatibility will be reguired