From design to Deployment: The innovative role of nanomicelles in targeted ophthalmic therapeutics

Delivering medications to targeted lesions poses significant challenges due to the unique anatomical structure and physical barriers of the eyeball. Polymer nanomicelles are spontaneously assembled from surfactants and amphiphilic polymers, encapsulating insoluble drugs within their cores to augment their hydrosolubility. Nanomicelles have demonstrated potential to surmount these biological hurdles and convey encapsulated therapeutic agents to intended sites. Nanomicelle can prolong the drug half-life and promote molecule permeation through ocular epithelium. Notably, they can be formulated at concentrations marginally exceeding the critical micelle concentration while maintaining a stable conformation, thereby boosting therapeutic effectiveness. Moreover, the physicochemical attributes of polymeric micelles can be precisely adjusted by integrating diverse hydrophilic or hydrophobic moieties. Surface modifications can further impart specific charges or facilitate targeted organ delivery enhancing adhesion to ocular tissues and mitigating systemic toxicity. This review delves into the utilization of polymer nanomicelles in ophthalmological practice, encompassing block copolymer design, the pharmacokinetics of encapsulated drugs within nanomicelles, and the molecule pathways governing nanomedicines. This review also explores their applications in treating ocular disorders including infectious keratitis, DED, glaucoma, corneal graft rejection, neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), and DR, while introducing progress in clinical deployment and potentials in ocular diagnosis. We also discuss the key challenges in clinical translation and scalable manufacturing. With continued optimization, polymer nanomicelles are poised to become a versatile, non-invasive platform for personalized ophthalmologic therapies.