Open AccessNoninvasive Ocular Drug Delivery
Author(s) -
Marianna Földvári
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of glaucoma
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.11
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1536-481X
pISSN - 1057-0829
DOI - 10.1097/ijg.0000000000000122
Subject(s) - medicine , drug delivery , glaucoma , gene delivery , delivery system , drug , cornea , intensive care medicine , ophthalmology , pharmacology , nanotechnology , genetic enhancement , biochemistry , chemistry , materials science , gene
Drug delivery to the eye is made difficult by multiple barriers (such as the tear film, cornea, and vitreous) between the surface of the eye and the treatment site. These barriers are difficult to surmount for the purposes of drug delivery without causing toxicity. Using nanotechnology tools to control, manipulate, and study delivery systems, new approaches to delivering drugs, genes, and antigens that are effective and safe can be developed. Topical administration to the ocular surface would be the safest method for delivery, as it is noninvasive and painless compared with other delivery methods. However, there is only limited success using topical delivery methods, especially for gene therapy. Current thinking on treatments of the future enabled by nanodelivery systems and the identification of target specificity parameters that require deeper understanding to develop successful topical delivery systems for glaucoma is highlighted.