INVITRO EVALUATION OF INFLAMMATORY CELL RESPONSE AFTER CF4 PLASMA SURFACE MODIFICATION OF POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE) INTRAOCULAR LENSES

The inflammatory cell response of tetrafluorocarbon (CF4) plasma surfa ce modification of poly(methyl methacrylate) intraocular lenses (IOLs) was investigated in vitro. After two hours of lens contact with human granulocytes, scanning electron microscopy showed significantly less cell activation and granulocyte adhesion on the surface-modified IOL t han on the untreated IOL (P < .01). The x-ray photoelectron spectrosco py analysis of the CF4 plasma surface modification demonstrated that n ew compounds containing fluorine were homogeneously grafted onto the P MMA lens surface, resulting in a marked increase of contact angle. The se in vitro results must be confirmed by in vivo studies of CF4 plasma surface modification of IOLs.