Iron-oxide nanoparticle-integrated soft contact lenses: optical optimization, catalytic functionality, and...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Corneal infections and inflammation affect millions, necessitating advanced ocular therapeutics.
• Current treatments lack continuous protection, highlighting the need for innovative solutions.
• Iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) offer biocompatibility, low toxicity, and cost-effectiveness compared to other metal NPs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To integrate iron oxide nanoparticles into commercial contact lenses for enhanced ocular therapeutics.
• To evaluate the biocompatibility, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties of these novel contact lenses.
• To assess the optical properties and catalytic activity of the nanoparticle-embedded lenses.

Main Methods:

• Characterization of iron oxide NPs using X-ray diffraction, XPS, SEM, and TEM.
• Assessment of optical properties via UV-Vis spectroscopy and COMSOL simulations.
• Evaluation of catalytic activity, biocompatibility, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties.

Main Results:

• Iron oxide NPs (Fe3O4/γ-Fe2O3, ~8 nm) were uniformly dispersed in contact lenses.
• Embedded NPs maintained high optical transmission, with smaller radii preserving transparency.
• Lenses demonstrated significant catalytic activity (96.7% MB degradation) and biocompatibility (>70% fibroblast viability).
• Effective anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus was observed.

Conclusions:

• Iron oxide nanoparticle-embedded contact lenses represent a novel platform for ocular therapeutics.
• These lenses offer a unique combination of transparency, catalytic activity, and biological safety.
• The findings support the potential of these contact lenses for future wearable optics and therapeutic applications.