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Publications

Journal Article Review Epublish

PubMed: 40317427 DOI: 10.1186/s11671-025-04234-6

Ocular drug delivery systems based on nanotechnology: a comprehensive review for the treatment of eye diseases.

Discov Nano 20(1):75

Authors: Rahul Dev Bairagi, Raiyan Rahman Reon, Md Mahbub Hasan, Sumit Sarker, Dipa Debnath, Md Tawhidur Rahman, Sinthia Rahman, Md Amirul Islam, Md Abu Talha Siddique, Bishwajit Bokshi, Md Mustafizur Rahman, Amit Kumar Acharzo

Affiliations

  • Pharmacy Discipline, School of Life Sciences, Khulna University, Khulna, 9208, Bangladesh.
  • Department of Biomedical Engineering, Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), Khulna, 9203, Bangladesh.
  • Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Bara Phool, Punjab, 140001, India.
  • Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology BHU, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221005, India.
  • Department of Pharmacy, Northern University of Bangladesh, Dhaka, 1230, Bangladesh.
  • Department of Chemistry, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA.
  • Department of Pharmacy, East West University, Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh.
  • Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
  • Department of Chemistry, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA.

Abstract

Ocular drug delivery is a significant challenge due to the intricate anatomy of the eye and the various physiological barriers. Conventional therapeutic approaches, while effective to some extent, often fall short in effectively targeting ocular diseases, resulting in suboptimal therapeutic outcomes due to factors such as poor ocular bioavailability, frequent dosing requirements, systemic side effects, and limited penetration through ocular barriers. This review elucidates the eye's intricate anatomy and physiology, prevalent ocular diseases, traditional therapeutic modalities, and the inherent pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic limitations associated with these modalities. Subsequently, it delves into nanotechnology-based solutions, presenting breakthroughs in nanoformulations such as nanocrystals, liposomes, dendrimers, and nanoemulsions that have demonstrated enhanced drug stability, controlled release, and deeper ocular penetration. Additionally, it explores a range of nanosized carriers, including nano-structured lipid carriers, hydrogels, nanogels, nanoenzymes, microparticles, conjugates, exosomes, nanosuspensions, viral vectors, and polymeric nanoparticles, and their applications. Unique insights include emerging innovations such as nanowafers and transcorneal iontophoresis, which indicate paradigm shifts in non-invasive ocular drug delivery. Furthermore, it sheds light on the advantages and limitations of these nanotechnology-based platforms in addressing the challenges of ocular drug delivery. Though nano-based drug delivery systems are drawing increasing attention due to their potential to enhance bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy, the review ends up emphasizing the imperative need for further research to drive innovation and improve patient outcomes in ophthalmology.

MeSH

Eye, Biological Availability, Pharmaceutical Preparations, Drug Delivery Systems, Eye Diseases, Therapeutics, Nanotechnology, Anatomy

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