Recent progress in ocular drug delivery for posterior segment disease: emphasis on transscleral iontophoresis

Age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, posterior uveitis, and retinitis due to glaucoma are leading causes of vision loss in the United States and other developed countries. Because these diseases are located in the posterior segment of the eye, topical application of ophthalmic medicines is of limited benefit, since topically applied drugs rarely reach therapeutic levels in the affected posterior tissues such as the choroid and retina. Intravitreal injections can deliver drugs to the posterior segment without the side effects associated with systemic administration. However, the repeated and long-term injections often needed may cause complications, such as vitreous hemorrhage, retinal detachment, or endophthalmitis. Recent advances in ocular drug delivery methods and the development of novel biopharmaceutical agents could lead to new regimens for the treatment of disease of the posterior retina, choroids, and macula. This review will summarize recent literature concerning ocular drug delivery of bioactive compounds to the posterior segment of the eye with emphasis on transscleral iontophoresis.