Cytopathology of early cellular reaction on implant lenses in monkeys. A transmission electron microscopic study.

We carried out extracapsular lens extraction with the implantation of a modified C-loop posterior chamber lens in eight monkey eyes. The animals were killed after varying survival of up to 14 days. The intraocular lenses (IOLs) were removed and examined by transmission electron microscopy. Three different types of cells, namely, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, macrophages, and multinucleated giant cells, were observed on the surface of the IOLs. A thin, membrane-like structure composed of finely granular material covered the lens surface. These cell components were not attached directly to the lens surface, but, rather, were located on the membrane-like structure.