Stereolithographic Rapid Prototyping of Clear, Foldable, Non-Refractive Intraocular Lens Designs: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

Purpose: A cataract is a cloudy area in the crystalline lens. Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness and the second cause of severe vision impairment worldwide. During cataract surgery, the clouded lens is extracted and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens, which restores the optical power.

Assessment of intraocular lens/capsular bag biomechanical interactions following cataract surgery in a human in vitro graded culture capsular bag model.

Intraocular lenses (IOLs) are implanted during cataract surgery. For optimum results, stable positioning of the IOL in the capsular bag is important. Wound-healing events following cataract surgery lead to modification of the capsular bag and secondary visual loss due to posterior capsule opacification.

Resveratrol Inhibits Wound Healing and Lens Fibrosis: A Putative Candidate for Posterior Capsule Opacification Prevention.

Purpose: Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) is a common complication of cataract surgery. In addition to improved surgical methods and IOL designs, it is likely additional agents will be needed to improve patient outcomes. Presently no pharmacological agent is in clinical use to prevent PCO.

An In Vitro Human Lens Capsular Bag Model Adopting a Graded Culture Regime to Assess Putative Impact of IOLs on PCO Formation.

Purpose: To develop a culture regime for the in vitro human lens capsular bag model that better reflects clinical events following cataract surgery and to use this refined model to evaluate the putative impact of IOLs on PCO formation.

Methods: Capsulorhexis and lens extraction were performed on human donor eyes to generate capsular bags attached to the ciliary body by the zonules. Preparations were secured by pinning the ciliary body to a silicone ring and maintaining in 6 mL serum-free EMEM for 28 days or in a graded culture system (days 1-3, 5% human serum and 10 ng/mL TGFβ2; days 4-7, 2% human serum and 1 ng/mL TGFβ2; days 8-14, 1% human serum and 0.

Growth factor restriction impedes progression of wound healing following cataract surgery: identification of VEGF as a putative therapeutic target.

Secondary visual loss occurs in millions of patients due to a wound-healing response, known as posterior capsule opacification (PCO), following cataract surgery. An intraocular lens (IOL) is implanted into residual lens tissue, known as the capsular bag, following cataract removal. Standard IOLs allow the anterior and posterior capsules to become physically connected.

Experimental models for posterior capsule opacification research.

Millions of people worldwide are blinded due to cataract formation. At present the only means of treating a cataract is through surgical intervention. A modern cataract operation involves the creation of an opening in the anterior lens capsule to allow access to the fibre cells, which are then removed.

An in vitro evaluation of the Anew Zephyr open-bag IOL in the prevention of posterior capsule opacification using a human capsular bag model.

Purpose: During cataract surgery an IOL is placed within the capsular bag. Clinical studies show that IOLs with a square edge profile and complete contact between the IOL and the anterior capsule (AC) are currently the best way to prevent posterior capsule opacification (PCO). This has been challenged by recent clinical and experimental observations, which suggest that if the capsular bag is kept open with separation of contact between the AC and posterior capsule (PC) by an "open-bag device" PCO is dramatically reduced.

Effect of total lens epithelial cell destruction on intraocular lens fixation in the human capsular bag.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of complete destruction of lens epithelial cells (LECs) in the capsular bag on intraocular lens (IOL) stability.

Setting: School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom.

Design: Comparative evaluation.

Sigma 1 receptor stimulation protects against oxidative damage through suppression of the ER stress responses in the human lens.

Stimulation of sigma-1 receptors is reported to protect against oxidative stress. The present study uses cells and tissue from the human lens to elucidate the relationship between the sigma 1 receptor, ER stress and oxidative stress-induced damage. Exposure of the human lens cell line FHL124 to increasing concentrations of H(2)O(2) led to reduced cell viability and increased apoptosis.

MMP2 activity is critical for TGFβ2-induced matrix contraction--implications for fibrosis.

Purpose: The fibrotic lens disorder posterior capsule opacification (PCO) develops in millions of patients following cataract surgery. PCO characteristics are extensive extracellular matrix (ECM) production and contraction of the posterior lens capsule, resulting in light-scattering ECM modification (wrinkling). The pro-fibrotic cytokine transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) is central to PCO development.

TGF beta-induced contraction is not promoted by fibronectin-fibronectin receptor interaction, or alpha SMA expression.

Purpose: Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta is a potent inducer of both transdifferentiation and contraction, which are regarded as critical processes that underpin tissue fibrosis. Consequently, transdifferentiation is believed to drive TGFbeta-mediated contraction. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between transdifferentiation of human lens epithelial cells and matrix contraction.

Short-term exposure to transforming growth factor beta induces long-term fibrotic responses.

Transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta), a potent inducer of cell transdifferentiation, is heavily implicated in fibrotic disorders. Following cataract surgery, aberrant cell growth across the collagenous matrix of the lens capsule leads to fibrosis, and in turn secondary visual loss, known as posterior capsule opacification (PCO). These modifications are associated with transdifferentiated cells.