A flexible device for ocular iontophoretic drug delivery

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Conventional ocular drug delivery methods often cause discomfort and tissue damage.
• Developing effective and minimally invasive ocular drug delivery systems is crucial for treating eye diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a flexible ocular iontophoretic device fabricated by batch processing.
• To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and convenience of this device for ocular iontophoresis in vivo.

Main Methods:

• In vivo experiments were conducted on rabbit eyes using the flexible ocular iontophoretic device.
• Manganese ions (Mn(2+)) were delivered via iontophoresis to assess delivery efficiency and optic nerve damage detection.
• Temperature was monitored using an infrared thermal imager to evaluate thermal injury.

Main Results:

• The device demonstrated effective, simple, and convenient ocular iontophoresis compared to conventional eye cups.
• Significant increases in Mn(2+) concentration were observed in the eyeball after iontophoresis (102 ng/ml at 1 mA, 271 ng/ml at 2 mA) versus control groups (23 ng/ml, 38 ng/ml).
• No thermal injury was observed at currents up to 2 mA for 10 minutes, with local temperatures remaining below 38°C.

Conclusions:

• The flexible ocular iontophoretic device is a promising tool for effective and safe ocular drug delivery.
• Its design allows for stable placement and reduced tissue damage, making it suitable for delivering therapeutic agents and diagnostic tracers like manganese ions.