AFTER-CATARACT FORMATION IN NEWBORN RABBITS IMPLANTED WITH INTRAOCULAR LENSES

Purpose: Comparison of the after-cataract formation in newborn rabbits implanted with a heparin-surface-modified (HSM) intraocular lens (IOL ), a silicone IOL, or no IOL. Methods: Two groups of 3-week-old rabbit s were used. In Group 1 (n = 11), lensectomy was performed in both eye s. One eye was selected at random and an HSM IOL was implanted in the capsular bag; the other eye was left aphakic. In Group 2 (n = 13), len sectomy was performed in both eyes. An HSM IOL was implanted in one ey e, a silicone IOL in the other. The wet mass of the dissected after-ca taract was determined 3 months after surgery in both groups. Results: In Group 1, the wet mass of the dissected after-cataract was 17.0 +/- 6.5 mg (mean +/- SEM) in eyes implanted with an HSM IOL and 159.7 +/- 17.0 mg in aphakic eyes. This difference was statistically significant (P < .01). In Group 2, the wet mass of the dissected after-cataract w as 18.3 +/- 4.3 mg in eyes implanted with an HSM IOL and 25.7 +/- 5.2 mg in eyes implanted with a silicone IOL. No statistically significant difference was found. Conclusions: In young rabbits, implantation of an IOL in the capsular bag following lensectomy reduced cell prolifera tion.