O44 -: a solvent for silicone oil adhesions on intraocular lenses

Aim To examine the efficiency of O-44, a partial fluorinated octane, as a solvent for silicone oil adhesions on intraocular lenses. Materials and Methods After placing silicone- and PMMA-lenses in silicone oil, the adhesions were treated with O-44. The extent of silicone oil adhesions and the effectiveness of O-44 were studied by gross microscopy by scanning electrone microscopy (SEM) and combined energy dispersive spectrometry (EDX). Furthermore an explanted silicone lens with oil adhesions was treated with O-44 and examined. To simulate the effect of adhesion proteins PMMA- and silicone lenses were placed in silicone oil and human plasma. Results With EDX it was possible to prove that O-44 is able to remove silicone oil adhesions from PMMA-lenses. The removal from an explanted silicone lens by O-44 could be demonstrated by light microscopy. Silicone oil adhesions on intraocular lenses (IOL's) in vitro showed a different oil coverage than the IOL in vivo. Silicone lenses in vitro were often covered by a homogenous oil film and therefore the demonstration of the silicone adhesions and of the efficacy of O-44 was difficult. The adhesions of IOL's placed additional in human plasma did not show any differences. Conclusions O-44 map be a successful intraoperative tool to remove silicone oil adhesions avoiding explantation of silicone oil contaminated IOL's. Silicone oil adhesions in vivo seem to be influenced by adhesive proteins.