Advancing Glaucoma Treatment through Materials Science: A Bibliometric Analysis

To identify recent research trends on advancing glaucoma treatment through materials science and focus on publications from different countries, institutions, and authors.

We retrieved and analyzed data from January 1, 2015, to October 24, 2024, on the advancing glaucoma treatment through materials science research field from the Web of Science Core Collection database. Microsoft Excel and VOSviewer were applied to perform visualization analysis and evaluate the trends.

A total of 936 publications were identified, and the annual global publications increased steadily, from 44 to 93, during this period. The United States (267 publications, 9934 citations), Egyptian Knowledge Bank (52 publications, 1262 citations), and Jui-Yang Lai (20 publications, 986 citations) were the most influential and productive countries, institutions, and authors, respectively. The top 100 keywords were classified into eight clusters: (1) surgical materials; (2) nanoparticle retinal protection; (3) eye drops; (4) drug delivery characteristics; (5) contact; (6) ocular drug delivery mechanisms; (7) bioavailability and optimization; and (8) release technologies. Regarding the average appearing years (AAYs) of the keywords, "microshunt" (AAY: 2023.25), "MIGS" (AAY: 2022), and "d-optimal design" (AAY: 2021.5) were recognized as the hotspots in the short run.

This study highlights advancements in materials science for glaucoma treatment, including biomaterials, nanotechnology, and nanoengineering. These innovations enable better drug delivery, improved devices, and surgical materials, promising more effective, personalized, and minimally invasive therapies for improved patient outcomes.