INHIBITION OF MIGRATING LENS EPITHELIAL-CELLS BY SUSTAINED-RELEASE OFETHYLENEDIAMINETETRAACETIC ACID

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of the sustained-release of ethylenedi aminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) chelating Ca++ on lens epithelial cell (L EG) migration. Setting: Nishi Eye Hospital, Jinshikai Medical Foundati on, Osaka, Japan. Methods: Polylactic-glycolic acid disks containing 1 0% EDTA were placed in saline solution for about 2 weeks in vitro. Abo ut 60% (7 mu g/hour) of the EDTA was released during that time. The di sks with a posterior chamber intraocular lens placed above were implan ted in the capsular bag in five rabbit eyes after continuous curviline ar capsulorhexis and phacoemulsification. A disk without EDTA and the same lens type were placed in the bag in the contralateral eyes, which served as controls. Results: After 2 to 3 months, opacification in th e central posterior capsule was significantly reduced in all eyes that received the disk with EDTA. Conclusion: The deprivation of Ca++ disr upted interaction between the posterior capsule and migrating LECs by inactivating the adhesion molecule integrin synthesized by LECs, signi ficantly reducing LEC migration onto the posterior capsule.