Inﬂuence of Different Disinfecting Solutions on the Color Change of Artiﬁcial Irises Used in Ocular Prostheses Ama ´ lia Moreno, Marcelo Coelho Goiato, * Daniela Micheline dos Santos, Marcela Filie ´ Haddad, Aldie ´ ris Alves Pesqueira, Lisiane Cristina Bannwart Department of Dental Materials and Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry of Arac ¸atuba, UNESP-Univ Estadual Paulista, Arac ¸atuba, Sa ˜o Paulo, Brazil Received 20 August 2011; revised 7 December 2011; accepted 17 April 2012 Abstract: Making an artiﬁcial iris with an aesthetically ac- ceptable color is an important aspect of ocular rehabilita- tion. This work evaluated the inﬂuence of different disin- fecting solutions on changes to the color of artiﬁcial irises used in ocular prostheses. Fifty samples simulating ocular prostheses were produced with cobalt blue artiﬁcial irises and divided (n ¼ 10) according to the disinfectant used: neu- tral soap, Opti-free, Efferdent, 1% hypochlorite, and 4% chlorhexidine. The samples were disinfected for 120 days and subjected to a color readings by spectrophotometry, using the CIE L*a*b* system, before the disinfection period (B), after 60 days of disinfectant exposure (T 1 ), and after 120 days of disinfectant exposure (T 2 ). Color differences (DE) were calculated for the intervals between T 1 and B (T 1 B), and between T 2 and B (T 2 B). The data were eval- uated by analysis of variance and the Tukey Honestly Signiﬁ- cantly Different (a ¼ 0.05). All disinfectant groups exhibited color changes. The mean color change observed for all groups overall during T 2 B (DE ¼ 3.51) was signiﬁcantly greater than that observed during T 1 B (DE ¼ 2.10). All groups exhibited greater color change for the b* values when compared to the a* and L* values. There were no sig- niﬁcant differences between the disinfectant groups. It can be concluded that the time period of disinfection and storage signiﬁcantly affected the stability of artiﬁcial iris color, inde- pendent of the disinfectant used. Ó 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 39, 56–62, 2014; Published online 1 June 2012 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/col.21754 Key words: aesthetics; coloration; spectrophotometry; acrylic resins; artiﬁcial eye INTRODUCTION The ultraviolet visible reﬂection spectroscopy allows eval- uating the absorbed and transmitted radiation of chemi- cals. 1 In the ocular prosthesis area, the spectrophometric analysis can be used to assess the color stability of or- ganic compounds such as artiﬁcial iris oil paint and inor- ganic materials (i.e., acrylic resin). 2,3 The absorption of ultraviolet radiation both visible and infrared depends on the structure of material’s molecule which reﬂects on the color and brightness of the material. 2,3 In the ocular rehabilitation, the artiﬁcial irises are recovered with colorless resin. 4 Through translucency of prostheses, an adequate shape and volume for the color- less acrylic resin layer of the iris can create the appear- ance of depth and naturalness that closely resemble the natural eye. 5,6 The absorption of certain white light wave- lengths promotes the color change of materials and the nonabsorbed wavelengths are transmitted to the human eye. 7 One problem, which is frequently faced during rehabili- tation with ocular prostheses, is a change in the color of the iris over time. 8,9 Therefore, various researchers have searched for manufacturing techniques for ocular prosthe- ses and pigments that are more durable and more resistant to discoloration over time. 8–12 Some have found that oil paint has more color stability than gouache or acrylic paint given the degrading effects of environmental agents. 9,10 There is also evidence that frequent exposure to water and disinfecting solutions may alter both the physical and *Correspondence to: Marcelo Coelho Goiato (e-mail: goiato@foa.u- nesp.br). V V C 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 56 Volume 39, Number 1, February 2014