Trypan Blue Ophthalmic Solution

Optiblue 0.06% ophthalmic solution stains the anterior lens capsule making it clearly identifiable throughout surgery, and is an invaluable tool. The dye is injected onto and spread over the anterior lens capsule. The primary indication for using this capsular dye is when the red reflex is poor or absent, which is typically due to a mature white cataract. In such instances, the readily stained capsule facilitates creating a complete capsulorhexis. Trypan blue is also very useful in cases of weak zonules. I routinely use the dye in all patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome so that I can easily visualize the capsulorhexis edge throughout the surgery and more readily detect capsular instability by observing any shift in position of the capsulorhexis edge. Similarly, I have recently found in cases of extensive asteroid hyalosis that it can be difficult to visualize the capsule once the lens nucleus has been removed, and trypan blue can certainly improve visualize in this circumstance as well.