Effects of aqueous polymeric surfactants on silicone-hydrogel soft- contact-lens wettability and bacterial adhesion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Abstract

Prevention of Pseudomonas aeruginosa binding to soft-contact lenses (SCLs) may curtail sight-threatening microbial keratitis. Substrate surface wettability is known to modulate adhesion of P. aeruginosa. This study investigates the use of aqueous alkoxylate block co-polymer surfactants for enhanced wettability and antibacterial adhesion of SCLs under leaching conditions. Specifically, Pluronic(®) F127 (PF) and three ethylene oxide-butylene oxide (EOBO) surfactants were studied with four commercially available silicone-hydrogel contact lenses: Pure Vision™, Acuvue Advance™, Acuvue Oasys™ and O(2)Optix™. Dilute aqueous PF and EOBO surfactants impregnated all four soft-contact lenses, as demonstrated by surface-tension decline for leached surfactant. For PF surfactant, significant surface-wettability improvement upon rinsing occurred only after overnight leaching. EOBO surfactant showed a similar pattern with O(2)Optix™ lenses. EOBO-pretreated Pure Vision™ lenses, however, showed fast leaching and a significant change in surface energy towards improved wettability. Adhesion assays of P. aeruginosa displayed a small decrease in the binding rate of PAK bacteria for EOBO-pretreated Pure Vision™ lenses, but not for EOBO-pretreated O(2)Optix™ lenses. P. aeruginosa strain-PAO1 bacteria adhesion to all lenses was independent of surface wettability. Despite the ability of polymeric surfactants to lower advancing contact angles under leaching conditions, increased lens wettability is not a universal panacea for antifouling of soft-contact lenses.

• Authors: Victoria B Tran, Ye Suel Sung, Kendra Copley, C J Radke
• Journal: Contact lens & anterior eye : the journal of the British Contact Lens Association (Cont Lens Anterior Eye) Vol. 35 Issue 4 Pg. 155-62 (Aug 2012) ISSN: 1476-5411 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22456099 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2012 British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Epoxy Compounds
• Hydrogels
• Silicones
• Surface-Active Agents
• lotrafilcon A
• 1,2-epoxybutane
• Poloxamer
• Ethylene Oxide

Topics

• Bacterial Adhesion (physiology)
• Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic (microbiology)
• Epoxy Compounds (pharmacology)
• Ethylene Oxide (pharmacology)
• Hydrogels
• Poloxamer (pharmacology)
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa (physiology)
• Silicones
• Surface Tension
• Surface-Active Agents (pharmacology)
• Wettability (drug effects)