Purpose: To investigate and evaluate the removal time of various ophthalmic viscosurgical device (OVD)/viscoanesthetic solutions containing sodium hyaluronate 1.5% with different concentrations of lidocaine (0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.65%).
Setting: Center for Research on Ocular Therapeutics and Biodevices, Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
Methods: Six postmortem human eyes were prepared per the Miyake-Apple posterior video technique. Capsulorhexis, hydrodissection/delineation, and nuclear emulsification were performed, followed by thorough cleaning of the capsular bag using an irrigation/aspiration (I/A) tip. The time and ease of removal of 4 solutions from the capsular bag were evaluated. The solutions were Ophthalin Plus (sodium hyaluronate, 15 mg/mL) and sodium hyaluronate 15 mg/mL mixed with lidocaine 0.5%, lidocaine 1.0%, and lidocaine 1.65%. The solutions were dyed with fluorescein to enhance visualization. After the capsular bag was filled with 1 of the solutions, a posterior chamber intraocular lens was implanted. The solution was then aspirated using an automated I/A device set at 250 mm Hg of aspiration. The time required to remove most and then all the material was recorded.
Results: The mean time required for removal of most of the Ophthalin Plus, viscoanesthesia 0.5%, viscoanesthesia 1%, and viscoanesthesia 1.65% solutions was 8.7 seconds +/- 2.1 (SD), 7.7 +/- 1.1 seconds, 9.7 +/- 0.6 seconds, and 6.3 +/- 1.5 seconds, respectively (P =.1). The mean time to remove all the solutions was 21.3 +/- 3.2 seconds, 19.7 +/- 2.5 seconds, 18.3 +/- 3.2 seconds, and 15.7 +/- 2.1 seconds, respectively (P =.166). No subjective difference in viscosity or consistency was found among the solutions.
Conclusions: The addition of lidocaine to the OVD solution did not significantly alter the viscosity or consistency of the solution or change its removal time from the capsular bag.