Lens epithelial cell proliferation onto the intraocular lens optic in vitro.

PURPOSE: To determine how lens epithelial cells (LECs) proliferate onto an intraocular lens (IOL) after extracapsular cataract surgery.
SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
METHODS: We cultured the capsular bags retaining LECs of eight human eye-bank eyes and six rabbit eyes that had had extracapsular lens extraction with in-the-bag implantation of a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) IOL and a PMMA ring. Cell proliferation onto the IOL optic was monitored by a time-lapse video system.
RESULTS: Cells proliferated onto the IOL optic via the anterior capsulotomy margin, the inner surface of the anterior capsule, and the posterior capsule. They formed cell sheets similar to the membranes observed in clinical cases.
CONCLUSIONS: Since the cells proliferated from the anterior capsule as well as from the posterior capsule onto the IOL optic, the membranes observed clinically on the IOL optic may be LEC sheets.