Study of wetting of the animal retinas by Water and organic liquids and its Implications for ophthalmology

Abstract

Interfacial properties of the animal retinas are reported. Wetting of the retina-retinal pigment epithelium-choroid-sclera tissues of cow, sheep, and pig eyes by water, silicone and castor oil was explored experimentally. Both water and silicone oils demonstrated complete wetting of the retina, regardless of the viscosity of the silicone oil, whereas the castor oil demonstrated a partial wetting regime. Similar wetting regimes were observed for sheep, cow and pig retinas. The intact surface of animal retina was found to be both hydrophilic and oleophilic. Wetting experiments with double sandwich oil/water layers were performed. Water demonstrated stronger affinity to the retina than silicone and castor oils, and eventually replaced the oils at the liquid/retina interface. We conclude that aqueous solutions continuously secreted in the living eye may displace silicone oil from the retinal surface and contribute to retinal re-detachment. Study of dynamics of wetting of the animal retina by water and organic oils is reported. The exponent describing the dynamics of spreading of the castor oil is lower than that predicted by the Tanner law. Castor oil may provide more effective tamponade than silicone oil.

Keywords: Apparent contact angle; Ophthalmology; Retina; Silicone oil; Spreading; Tamponade; Wetting; castor oil.