VISCOELASTIC SUBSTANCE

These are tissue -protective viscoelastic liquid with molecular weight ranging from 30,000 million Dalton to 4 million Dalton, they are non-toxic, non-antigenic & they don't interfere with normal wound healing.

Substances are as follows:

• sodium hyaluronate ( 1% & 1.4% )
• methylcellulose (2%)
• chondroitin sulphate
• HPMC

👉Methylcellulose is cheaper & most widely used.

👉Sodium hyaluronate has the most favorable viscoelastic properties (but the cost is much higher).

✅INDICATIONS:--

• cataract extraction & IOL implantation.
• penetrating & endothelial keratoplasties.
• glaucoma filtering surgery.
• vitreoretinal surgery.

✅ ROLES:-

• It creates & maintains the depth of the anterior chamber during surgery.
• it protects corneal endothelial cells from mechanical trauma.
• it provides a highly viscous environment to control a circular capsulorhexis.
• it fully reforms the capsular bag to facilitate easy in-the-bag IOL fixation.
• Act as a soft instrument to manoeuver intraocular tissue gently.
• It may also be used as an artificial tear or for gonioscopic examinat