Contact-angle analysis of intraocular lenses

Purpose: To present contact-angle measurements of commercially available intraocular lenses (IOLs) in air and in water to facilitate the understanding of how various IOLs might interact in different environments. Setting: Laboratory. Methods: Five commercially available IOLs were studied. AMO(R) DuraLens(R) PS-59NB(TM), AMO PhacoFlex(R) SI-26NB(TM), AMO PhacoFlex II(R) SI-30NB(R), Chiron(R) ChiroFlex(R) C10UB, and Alcon(R) AcrySof(R) MA60BM. The AMO soft acrylic model AR40(TM), currently under clinical study, was also evaluated. Contact-angle measurements were made in air and in water using sessile drop and captive bubble methods. Results: The sessile drop method indicated that all materials were hydrophobic in air. The captive bubble method differentiated materials based on their polar and dispersive forces. Conclusion: Contact-angle measurements differed depending on the test conditions. Proper choice of contact-angle measurement method can generate useful information about a material surface and its potential biomaterial interactions.