Polymeric hydrogels for novel contact lens-based ophthalmic drug delivery systems: A review

Xinming, Li; Yingde, Cui; Lloyd, Andrew W.; Mikhalovsky, Sergey V.; Sandeman, Susan R.; Howel, Carol A.; Liewen, Liao

doi:10.1016/j.clae.2007.09.002

« Previous Next »Contact Lens & Anterior Eye
Volume 31, Issue 2 , Pages 57-64, April 2008

Polymeric hydrogels for novel contact lens-based ophthalmic drug delivery systems: A review

Li Xinming
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Technology, No. 24 Dongsha Street, Fangzhi Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou 510225, Guangdong, PR China
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +86 20 8901 3955; fax: +86 20 3428 0984.
Cui Yingde
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Technology, No. 24 Dongsha Street, Fangzhi Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou 510225, Guangdong, PR China
- Tel.: +86 20 8900 3002; fax: +86 20 3428 0984.
Andrew W. Lloyd
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Science, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
- Tel.: +44 1273 642049; fax: +44 1273 642031.
Sergey V. Mikhalovsky
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Science, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
- Tel.: +44 1273 642034; fax: +44 1273 679333.
Susan R. Sandeman
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Science, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
- Tel.: +44 1273 642015.
Carol A. Howel
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Science, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
- Tel.: +44 1273 642015.
Liao Liewen
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, No. 127 Youyixi Road, Xi’an 710072, Shanxi, PR China
- Tel.: +86 130 2201 5152.

published online 26 October 2007.

Abstract

Only about 5% of drugs administrated by eye drops are bioavailable, and currently eye drops account for more than 90% of all ophthalmic formulations. The bioavailability of ophthalmic drugs can be improved by a soft contact lens-based ophthalmic drug delivery system. Several polymeric hydrogels have been investigated for soft contact lens-based ophthalmic drug delivery systems: (i) polymeric hydrogels for conventional contact lens to absorb and release ophthalmic drugs; (ii) polymeric hydrogels for piggyback contact lens combining with a drug plate or drug solution; (iii) surface-modified polymeric hydrogels to immobilize drugs on the surface of contact lenses; (iv) polymeric hydrogels for inclusion of drugs in a colloidal structure dispersed in the lens; (v) ion ligand-containing polymeric hydrogels; (vi) molecularly imprinted polymeric hydrogels which provide the contact lens with a high affinity and selectivity for a given drug. Polymeric hydrogels for these contact lens-based ophthalmic drug delivery systems, their advantages and drawbacks are critically analyzed in this review.

Keywords: Hydrogels, Contact lens, Ophthalmic drug delivery system