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Updated: Jul 19, 2025
Development of an In Vitro Ocular Platform to Test Contact Lenses
Published on: April 6, 2016
Nanozyme-Cosmetic Contact Lenses for Ocular Surface Disease Prevention
Quanyi Liu1,2, Sheng Zhao3, Yihong Zhang3
1State Key Laboratory of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, 130022, China.
Abstract:
Efficiently balancing excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) caused by various factors on the ocular surface is a promising strategy for preventing the development of ocular surface diseases (OSDs). Nevertheless, the conventional topical administration of antioxidants is limited in efficacy due to poor absorption, rapid metabolism, and irreversible depletion, which impede their performance. To address this issue, contact lenses embedded with antioxidant nanozymes that can continuously scavenge ROS, thereby providing an excellent preventive effect against OSDs are developed. Specifically, Prussian blue family nanozymes are chosen based on their multiple antioxidant enzyme-like activities and excellent biocompatibility. The diverse range of colors made them promising candidates for the development of cosmetic contact lenses (CCLs) as a substitute for conventional pigments. The efficacy of nanozyme-CCLs is demonstrated in rabbits and rats exposed to a high risk of developing OSDs. These OSDs' prevention nanozyme-CCLs can pave the way for CCLs toward powerful wearable biomedical devices and provide novel strategies for the rational utilization of nanomaterials in clinical practice.
Insights
New cosmetic contact lenses (CCLs) embed antioxidant nanozymes to continuously neutralize harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS), offering a promising strategy for preventing ocular surface diseases (OSDs). This innovation transforms CCLs into advanced wearable biomedical devices.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Ocular surface diseases (OSDs) are often linked to excess reactive oxygen species (ROS).
- Conventional topical antioxidant treatments for OSDs suffer from poor efficacy due to limited absorption, rapid metabolism, and depletion.
- There is a need for advanced delivery systems to provide sustained antioxidant protection for the ocular surface.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop novel cosmetic contact lenses (CCLs) embedded with antioxidant nanozymes for sustained ROS scavenging.
- To evaluate the efficacy of these nanozyme-embedded CCLs in preventing OSDs.
- To explore the potential of nanozyme-CCLs as wearable biomedical devices.
Main Methods:
- Prussian blue family nanozymes, known for their antioxidant enzyme-like activities and biocompatibility, were incorporated into CCLs.
- The nanozyme-CCLs were tested on rabbits and rats subjected to conditions that increase the risk of OSDs.
- The ability of nanozyme-CCLs to scavenge ROS and prevent OSD development was assessed.
Main Results:
- Nanozyme-CCLs demonstrated continuous ROS scavenging capabilities.
- The nanozyme-CCLs effectively prevented the development of OSDs in animal models.
- Prussian blue nanozymes exhibited excellent biocompatibility within the contact lens matrix.
Conclusions:
- Nanozyme-embedded CCLs offer a superior alternative to conventional topical antioxidants for OSD prevention.
- These nanozyme-CCLs represent a significant advancement in wearable biomedical devices.
- This study highlights a novel application for nanomaterials in clinical ophthalmology.
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