Optical properties of intraocular implants coated with silver nanoparticles

Abstract

Prolonged exposure to UV radiation, and ever-increasing life expectancy, mean that an increasing proportion of the population suffers from clouding of the intraocular lens. Nowadays, the performance of intraocular implantation procedures is commonplace. Unfortunately, with the increasing number of operations, the number of postoperative complications is also increasing. One way to avoid complications may be to use an intraocular implant that has been immersed in a solution containing silver nanoparticles. As part of the study, four selected intraocular implants - that are available on the ophthalmic market - were tested. In order to investigate the effect of silver particles on the optical properties of the implants, tests were carried out using a UV-VIS spectrophotometer. Two series of implants were tested: Before and after immersion in a silver solution. The implants were immersed for a period of 7 days. It was found that the presence of silver particles does not have a negative impact on the translucency of the implants.