Assessing Particle Release from Intraocular Lenses with a Combination of OptoFluidic Force Induction, μ-Raman and...

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology and Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science and Nanotechnology

Background:

• Intraocular lenses (IOLs) are common long-term medical implants.
• Growing concerns exist regarding microplastic pollution from medical devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze particle emission from seven common IOL types over 30 days.
• To assess the stability of IOLs and potential microplastic release.

Main Methods:

• Combined OptoFluidic Force Induction (OF2i) for particle counting with micro Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy with Attenuated Total Reflection (μ-FTIR-ATR) and Raman microscopy.
• Analyzed particle emission and chemical identification under laboratory conditions.

Main Results:

• No significant particle emission from IOLs was detected over the 30-day study period.
• Microplastic contamination found in packaging liquids was linked to packaging materials (PE, PP), not IOLs (acrylic).
• Over 500 particles analyzed showed no relation to IOL material.

Conclusions:

• The tested intraocular lenses demonstrate high material stability regarding particle emission.
• Packaging materials pose a greater risk for microplastic contamination than the IOLs themselves.
• Further research should investigate longer time frames and accelerated aging conditions for IOLs.