A cleaning solution for silicone intraocular lenses: "sticky silicone oil".

AIM: The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy of perfluorobutylpentane (F4H5) and perfluorohexyloctane (F6H8) in dissolving silicone oil from the surface of silicone intraocular lenses (IOL).

METHODS: Droplets of stained silicone oil were applied to an object slide either lying flat or tilted by 30 degrees . Mixing with H(2)O, F4H5 or F6H8 was documented by a digital camera. Droplets of silicone oil were applied to silicone lenses and washed off by repeated rinsing with F4H5 or F6H8. The silicone lenses of 11 patients with silicone oil remnants on the posterior IOL surface were rinsed intraoperatively with F4H5 during removal surgery.

RESULTS: Only F4H5 was able to mix with silicone oil and to remove it form the surface of a glass object slides. Rinsing with 25 mul F4H5 reduced the amount of silicone oil 1000 mPas or 5000 mPas attached on a silicone lens to 15% and 28%, respectively. A hanging droplet of silicone oil 5000 beneath a silicone lens was completely removed from below by F4H5. In all patients sufficient IOL cleaning was possible using F4H5. There was no significant postoperative inflammation in the vitreous or anterior chamber.

CONCLUSION: Polydimethylsiloxanes dissolve effectively in F4H5 due to its lipophilic chemical structure. A much smaller volume of F4H5 than F6H8 is able to remove silicone oil from silicone lenses completely. Intraocular use of F4H5 is safe, and initial clinical data underlines its effectiveness as a cleaning agent after contact of silicone lenses with silicone oil.