Surface modification of silicone intraocular implants to inhibit cell proliferation

Photo-cross-linkable polymers bearing cinnamic, sulfonate, and carboxylate groups were synthesized by radical polymerization leading to randomly distributed copolymers. These polymers were used to coat silicone intraocular lenses in order to reduce posterior capsule opacification, also named "secondary cataract". We previously demonstrated that polymers containing both carboxylate and sulfonate groups inhibit cell proliferation, and formulations with the ratio R = COO-/(COO- + SO3-) equal to 0.64 provided the highest inhibitory effect. Ionic polymers with this formulation were synthesized to contain a monomer with pendant siloxane groups in order to get compatibility with the silicone matrix of the intraocular lenses. Anchorage of the ionic polymer at the surface of the silicone implant was achieved by a cycloaddition reaction of the photosensitive groups according to two options. These modified silicone surfaces grafted onto intraocular lenses were shown to inhibit cell proliferation to 60%.