Endothelial damage caused by uncoated and fluorocarbon-coated poly(methyl methacrylate) intraocular lenses

Purpose: To assess endothelial damage induced by poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) intraocular lenses (IOLs) coated with a fluorocarbon polymer, Teflon™ AF to make them highly hydrophobic. Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Hotel-Dieu Hospital, Paris, France. Methods: Ten Teflon-coated and 10 uncoated PMMA IOLs were used in an in vitro static touch model. The corneal endothelium was placed in direct contact with the IOL for 15 seconds and then stained with trypan blue and alizarin red. The endothelial damage produced by each IOL in the area of contact was assessed semiquantitatively and quantitatively. Results: Teflon-coated IOLs produced significantly less endothelial damage than uncoated PMMA IOLs (P < .0001). Endothelial cells in contact with Teflon-coated IOLs did not usually adhere to the IOL surface. In contrast, the uncoated IOLs produced large areas of endothelial cell loss. Conclusion: Teflon-coated PMMA IOLs have an antiadhesive effect that reduced endothelial damage after IOL insertion in an in vitro model.