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Ophthalmic Drug Delivery Systems

Ophthalmic Drug Delivery Systems

Ophthalmic drug delivery faces major limitations due to poor absorption across the corneal membrane. This process is primarily driven by diffusion and is influenced by two main factors: the physicochemical properties of the drug and tear drainage. Most ophthalmic drugs, such as pilocarpine, epinephrine, atropine, and local anesthetics, are weak bases. They are typically formulated at an acidic pH to enhance chemical stability. However, this leads to high ionization, reducing their ability to...

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Combination of Microstereolithography and Electrospinning to Produce Membranes Equipped with Niches for Corneal Regeneration

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Corneal retention using a nanorobot-based eyedrop.

Chao Wan^1,2, Gege Tian³, Mingjie Wang¹

¹School of Medicine and Health, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China. zhiguangwu@hit.edu.cn.

Journal of Materials Chemistry. B

|November 7, 2025

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Novel nanorobots in eyedrops enhance drug retention for ocular therapy. These nanorobots, loaded with AmB, actively improve corneal healing in fungal keratitis models.

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Area of Science:

Ophthalmology
Nanotechnology
Drug Delivery

Background:

Topical eyedrops offer therapeutic benefits for ocular diseases but suffer from limited drug retention on the cornea due to passive diffusion.
Conventional nanoparticles show promise for ocular delivery but face constraints from the ocular surface's physiological barriers.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and evaluate nanorobots for active drug retention in ocular therapy, overcoming limitations of passive delivery systems.
To investigate the efficacy of urease-functionalized nanorobots in enhancing corneal drug retention and treating fungal keratitis.

Main Methods:

Fabrication of nanorobots by encapsulating AmB (amphotericin B) in poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles.
Surface functionalization of nanoparticles with urease to enable enzymatic propulsion in tears.
Evaluation of nanorobot mobility, corneal retention time, and therapeutic effect in fungal keratitis models.

Main Results:

Urease-functionalized nanorobots exhibited active individual and swarm movement driven by urease catalysis in tears.
Active nanorobot mobility resulted in a 4-fold increase in drug retention compared to passive nanoparticles.
AmB-loaded nanorobots significantly promoted corneal healing in fungal keratitis models.

Conclusions:

AmB-loaded nanorobots represent an effective strategy for prolonging corneal drug retention.
Active nanorobot mobility enhances therapeutic outcomes for ocular diseases like fungal keratitis.
This approach offers a promising advancement in nanomedicine for ocular drug delivery.