POLY(TRIETHYLENGLYCOL MONOMETHACRYLATE) AND POLY(GLYCEROL MONOMETHACRYLATE) CROSS-LINKED GEL AS POTENTIAL VISCOELASTICS FOR INTRAOPERATIVE USE

Background: The highly swelling poly(glycerol monomethacrylate) gel (p olyGLYMA) and hydrophilic polymer poly(triethylenglycol monomethacryla te (polyTEGMA) were tested as potential viscoelastics for intraopertiv e use in anterior segment surgery. Methods: PolyGLYMA was implanted in to the anterior chamber in 5 rabbits, and 40% polyTEGMA in 16 rabbits, The eyes were enucleated 1 week to 3 months after the operation. The corneal endothelium was examined with specular microscopy, and then th e whole eye histopathologically. Results: In all eyes of the polyGLYMA group, the clinical findings were characterized by a marked ciliary i njection and severe secondary glaucoma, and the histologic ones by a m arked inflammatory infiltration and thickening of Descemet's membrane in the anterior chamber angle. Specular microscopy revealed a decrease in the endothelial cell density and polymorphism of the endothelial c ells. In the polyTEGMA group, the anterior segment and the fundus were physiologic all the time, and specular microscopy and histologic find ings showed no degenerative and/or inflammatory changes, Conclusions: PolyGLYMA proved unsuitable for intracameral application in rabbits. T he new polymer polyTEGMA is characterized by high biologic tolerance a fter its implantation into the anterior chamber of rabbits, PolyTEGMA 40% might be considered as a potential viscoelastic material in humans .