Several methods for preventing, minimizing, or delaying the incidence of
posterior capsule opacification are provided. A first method involves chemically activating the surface of an implantable ocular device, such as an
intraocular lens or a capsular tension ring, by
grafting a
chemical moiety onto the surface of the device, covalently attaching a non-cytotoxic inhibitor compound to the
chemical moiety to produce an inhibitor implantable ocular device, and implanting this inhibitor implantable ocular device into the
capsular bag of an eye of a patient during extracapsular
cataract surgery. Appropriate inhibitor compounds include RGD mimetics, RGD peptides, and flavonoids. A second method involves surface modifying the exterior surface of a capsular tension ring by covalently attaching a
mitotic inhibitor, preferably a conjugate of
methotrexate and a
bovine serum albumin, and implanting this inhibitor tension ring into the
capsular bag of an eye of a patient during extracapsular
cataract surgery. A third method involves surface modifying the exterior surface of a capsular tension ring by
coating or
grafting the exterior surface with a charged polyethylamine and implanting this inhibitor tension ring into the
capsular bag of an eye of a patient during extracapsular
cataract surgery. An implantable ocular device according to the invention, such as an
intraocular lens or a capsular tension ring, contains a substrate with a
chemical moiety grafted thereon and a non-cytotoxic inhibitor compound covalently bonded to the chemical
moiety or contains a substrate modified with a
mitotic inhibitor or charged polyethylamine. The inhibitor devices inhibits proliferation and migration of lens epithelial cells on the
posterior capsule of the eye of the patient, thereby preventing, minimizing, or delaying the onset of
posterior capsule opacification.