EFFECT OF INTRAOCULAR-LENS DESIGN ON MIGRATION OF LENS EPITHELIAL-CELLS ONTO THE POSTERIOR CAPSULE

Purpose: To find the conditions that prevent posterior capsule opacifi cation through in vitro analysis of the relationship between intraocul ar lens (IOL) optic configuration and lens epithelial cell (LEG) migra tion. Setting: Division of Morphogenesis, Department of Developmental Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan. Methods : In a preliminary experiment, we measured the size of the capsular ba g of rabbits at 8, 16, 20, and 26 weeks of age. The size of a 20-week- old capsular bag was the same size as the capsular bag in senescent Ja panese eyes. We isolated the capsular bags in 20- and 8-week-old rabbi ts. The bags along with a biconvex (BC), convex-piano (CP), or no IOL (C) were cultured, and the eyes were divided into one of six groups (8 W-C, 8W-BC, 8W-CP, 20W-C, 20W-BC and 20W-CP), each including six speci mens. Results: Two specimens in the 8W-CP group completely blocked LEC migration at the optic edge. All specimens in the 20W-CP group and on e in the 20W-BC group showed cell aggregation along the optic edge, No ne of the other specimens in the BC and C groups blocked migration or showed cell aggregation. Conclusions: In the rabbit-model study, the c onvex-piano lens was superior to the biconvex lens in inhibiting migra tion of LECs. A firm contact between the IOL and the posterior capsule blocked the migration.