We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastics exposures in cataract surgery and potential clinical concerns
Summary
Scientists found tiny plastic particles called microplastics in people's eyes during cataract surgery, with higher amounts in patients who had diabetes or other eye problems. The plastic pieces were already inside the eye before surgery started, suggesting they came from everyday exposure rather than from the surgical tools themselves. This discovery raises concerns about how microplastics might affect eye health, though more research is needed to understand if they cause harm.
Microplastic (MP) exposures have been a significant global public health concern. Cataract surgery is the most frequently performed ocular surgery worldwide, and various plastic tools are used in cataract surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of MPs in surgical devices, intraocular fluids, and cataractous crystalline lenses in cataract surgery. We collected surgical solutions/devices (irrigation saline, balanced salt solution [BSS], and ophthalmic viscosurgical device [OVD]), ocular inflow/outflow fluids from six phacoemulsification cases, cataractous crystalline lenses from two extracapsular cataract extraction patients, and operating room (OR) air samples. Numbers and characteristics of MPs were measured using raman spectroscopy and surface morphologies of MPs were measured using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy. There were no MPs in saline or BSS in syringes nor in OVD. A small number of MPs were detected in ocular inflow fluids (mean ± standard deviation [SD] = 0.1 ± 0.1/mL) and OR air (mean ± SD = 0.5 ± 0.3/mL). Higher concentrations were observed in intraocular outflow fluid, with one plastic bag-collected sample showing 50.4 ± 0.3/mL, compared with 1.5(± 1.4)-7.2(± 3.5)/mL in other patients whose samples were collected in glass containers. MPs were also detected in cataractous crystalline lens (mean ± SD = 12.3 ± 5.8/100 mg). Ocular inflow fluids contained only 10-19 μm polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) fragments. However, intraocular outflow fluids and cataractous crystalline lenses contained smaller 5-9 μm fragments and fibers of six polymer types: PE, PP, polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyamide (PA). Patients who had other ocular diseases within past three years or who had diabetes at the time of surgery showed higher concentrations of total MPs and PE (P < 0.05). MPs can be exposed into eyeball during cataract surgery, potentially from surgical instruments or indoor air. Substantial intraocular MP contamination exists prior to surgery rather than from external surgical sources.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Detection of microplastics in pterygium tissue: Implications for environmental hazards
Researchers detected microplastics in surgically removed pterygium tissue from a patient's eye, identifying ten particles including polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene ranging from 5 to 99 micrometers. The findings suggest that environmental microplastics may commonly reach the ocular surface, raising concerns about eye-related exposure pathways.
Revealing new insights: Two-center evidence of microplastics in human vitreous humor and their implications for ocular health
In the first multi-center study of its kind, researchers detected microplastics inside the vitreous humor (the gel inside the eye) of 49 patients with various eye diseases, with most particles smaller than 50 micrometers. Higher microplastic levels were linked to concerning eye health measures like increased pressure inside the eye, and patients with retinopathy showed especially elevated levels.
Detection and Characterization of Multiple Microplastics in the Human Retina
Scientists detected microplastics in all 12 post-mortem human retina samples tested, with concentrations averaging about 49 micrograms per gram of tissue. Common plastics like polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, and PVC were found, mostly as tiny fragments and fibers between 20 and 50 micrometers. This is the first study to confirm and measure microplastics in the human eye, raising new questions about whether these particles could affect vision or retinal health over time.
First evidence of microplastic pollution in human trabecular meshwork and its association with intraocular pressure in glaucoma
Researchers provided the first quantitative evidence of microplastic pollution in the human trabecular meshwork, the eye tissue responsible for draining fluid and regulating eye pressure. Using multiple analytical techniques, they detected various microplastic polymers in tissue samples from glaucoma patients and found a correlation between microplastic abundance and intraocular pressure. The study suggests that microplastic accumulation in ocular tissues may be associated with changes in eye pressure relevant to glaucoma.
Microplastics in the surgical environment
Researchers quantified and characterized airborne microplastics in a hospital operating theatre and adjoining anaesthetic room over a one-week period. They found an average of 1,924 microplastic particles per cubic meter per day in the theatre during working hours, dominated by polyethylene terephthalate and polypropylene fragments. The study provides novel data on microplastic exposure in surgical environments where single-use plastics are widely used, and no microplastics were detected during non-working hours.