Intraocular biocompatibility of hydroxyethyl methacrylate and methacrylic acid copolymer/partially hydrolyzed poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate).

A strip of partially hydrolyzed poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) containing 65%-75% H2O was implanted into the anterior eye chamber of 11 Chinchilla rabbits. No pathological changes were found in the iris or in the ciliary body. The pathological findings in the cornea accompanying implantation of a hydrogel strip to the anterior chamber were rare and not significant. The low occurrence of the foreign body giant multinucleate cells was observed on the implant surface 6 months after the implantation. Favorable properties of this hydrogel depend probably on its high water and acidic groups content.