The breakdown of polypropylene in the human eye: is it clinically significant?

Polypropylene intracameral sutures and intraocular lens haptics have been reported to develop cracks after varying lengths of time within the eye. A study of the degradation of a 10-0 polypropylene suture and the absence of noticeable degradation on a 4-0 polypropylene intraocular lens haptic removed five years and three months after implantation is presented. The relationship of the molecular orientation of the polypropylene suture to the clinical significance of its cracks is discussed.