Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm formation and structural organization on different types of intraocular lenses...

To compare the adherence and structural organization of Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm on intraocular lenses (IOLs).

IOLs made of 3 different biomaterials [polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), hydrophilic acrylic or hydrophobic acrylic] were incubated into an S. epidermidis bacterial solution. Scanning electron microscopy was used to count the bound bacteria and to analyze the structural biofilm architecture.

After 4-6 h of incubation, adherence was statistically weakest on the hydrophilic acrylic polymer. On the hydrophobic acrylic material, the bacterial cells tended to cover the substratum in a horizontal spread in a continuous monolayer. On the hydrophilic acrylic material or on the PMMA material bacterial cells tended to form only few, small scattered cell clusters.

The data suggest that the pattern of S. epidermidis adhesion varies with the IOL biomaterial. Hydrophobic IOLs seem to be more permissive to S. epidermidis adhesion.