Methane plasma as a protective coating on intraocular lenses: an in vitro study.

A new methane plasma polymer was used to treat eight polymethylmetacrylate intraocular lenses (IOL). Another group of four lenses which had no treatment was used as control. The groups was compared in terms of the amount of endothelial cell damage caused after each of the twelve IOLs touched the central endothelium of 12 separate New Zealand rabbit corneas for 30 seconds in vitro. The amount of damage was estimated by means of vital staining with nitroblue tetrazolium and scanning electron microscopy. We found that the untreated (control) group of IOL produced significantly more endothelial cell damage in comparison with the treated groups. Further studies are needed to evaluate the clinical significance of our findings.