Are Contact Lenses an Effective Vehicle for Ocular-Disease Drug Delivery?

Due to numerous drawbacks with current modes of treatment for various ocular diseases, researchers are synthesizing drug dispensing contact lenses. The lenses will contribute to greater bioavailability of the drug, the minimization of negative side effects, and increased patient compliance. As treatment for glaucoma, in vivo studies have been conducted with latanoprost, timolol maleate, and brimonidine tartrate-eluting lenses, and have succeeded in reducing intraocular pressure to desired values (Ciolino et al., 2016), (Schultz and Mint, 2002). As treatment for fungal keratitis, in vitro studies prove that econazole and natamycin-eluting contact lenses have been successful in killing 100% of fungi for sustained periods of time (Ciolino et al., 2011), (Phan et al., 2013). Finally, for allergic conjunctivitis, contact lenses containing nanoparticles of prednisolone have been synthesized and demonstrate effective drug-releasing capabilities (ElShaer et al., 2016)