ABSTRACT
Polylethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is a polyacrylic derivative marketed under the brand names Plexiglas, Perspex, Diakon, Lucite, etc. The optical and organoleptic properties of PMMA have established it as the standard material for the manufacture of intraocular lenses (IOLs). It is amorphous, transparent and colorless. It has a refractive index of 1.49 to 1.50 and transmits 92 percent of the incident light. Chromophores can be incorporated into it and it is easily tinted. PMMA is rigid at room temperature. It has a vitreous transition temperature (i.e. the temperature at which it becomes flexible) of 105°C. It has a specific density of 1.19 gm/cm3. PMMA is fairly water-repellent, has an angle of contact of 70° and a water absorption index of 0.25 percent.
