High Adhesion Superoleophobic Oil Microdroplets to Create Ocular Hypertension In Vivo

Ocular hypertension is commonly linked with glaucomatous neurodegeneration. To investigate the mechanisms of glaucoma, in vivo models typically induce intraocular pressure elevation by obstructing aqueous humor flow in the trabecular meshwork. However, there is no satisfying in vivo model to maintain stable ocular hypertension and replicate neurodegenerative features accurately. Here, we introduce an injectable oil microdroplet model that achieves sustained IOP elevation and a 44.3% loss of retinal ganglion cells within four weeks in mice. The oil microdroplets exhibit an underwater "superoleophobic" state with high adhesion forces upon contact with tissue. Upon intracameral injection, the oil microdroplets deform and retain within various-sized trabecular architectures via a "self-locking" mechanism driven by differential Laplace pressures. Applying this oil microdroplet-induced mouse model, we observed an increase in nocturnal sleepiness, reflecting the increased daytime sleepiness observed in human glaucoma patients. This injectable oil microdroplet model provides a platform for studying glaucoma progression and evaluating potential therapeutic interventions.