Abstract
Purpose::
To evaluate the quantity of Staphylococcus epidermidis cells adhered to different intraocular lens materials.
Methods::
S. epidermidis strain N890074 was incubated for 1 hour or 24 hours on different IOLs: Kelman Duet (silicone), Alcon MZ60BD (PMMA), Alcon SA60AT (acrylate) or Alcon MA60BM (acrylate-metacrilate). Three groups of study: in group I, IOLs were incubated with S. epidermis only; in group II IOLs were immersed in ophthalmic viscosurgical solution (Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Celoftal®) and washed in PBS before incubation with S. epidermidis; in group III, IOLs were incubated in Celoftal® and S. epidermidis (1:1). IOLs were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), to evaluate bacterial biofilm formation in each group.
Results::
Among the four IOLs tested, the lower amount of attached cells was observed on the silicone IOLs. Biofilm production was significantly different between silicone and the rest of lenses at 1 hour and 24 hours (p<0.05). The bacterial populations were no significantly different between IOLs in the three groups at 1 hour of incubation but were significantly different between the group I and group II or III at 24 hours. Between groups II and III were no significant differences were observed at any time point.
Conclusions::
S. epidermidis level of adherence was in the following order: metacrilate (Alcon MA60BM) > acrilate (Alcon SA60AT ) > PMMA (Alcon MZ60) > silicone (Kelman Duet). On the other hand, ophthalmic viscosurgical solution (Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Celoftal®) seems to avoid adherence of cells to the surface lenses.
Keywords: intraocular lens • microscopy: electron microscopy • bacterial disease