Delivering medication through a contact lens

New research published in ACS Applied Bio Materials has described the development of a 3D printed silicone hydrogel, that enables the delivery of ophthalmic medication through a contact lens.

Researchers from the University of Waterloo’s department of chemistry and school of optometry and vision science collaborated to create the hydrogel, which has the potential to enable continuous controlled delivery of medication for a range of eye conditions.

Professor Lyndon Jones, of the Centre for Ocular Research & Education at the University of Waterloo, highlighted the convenience of using a contact lens for medication delivery.

“This concept is much more efficient and easier to comply with than using eye drops, which are often difficult to insert for patients and need frequent administration over the day,” he said.

Professor Shirley Tang, of the University of Waterloo, shared that the hydrogel has both good strength and flexibility.

“We decided to test its ability to hold and release drugs by using amoxicillin, a commonly prescribed antibiotic for ailments related to the eye,” she said.

The scientists found that the macro-porous structure of the hydrogel helped to control the release of the amoxicillin.

The material was also determined to be injectable and extrusion printable, enabling the hydrogel to be printed on to a contact lens.

University of Waterloo post-doctoral researcher, Dr Sayan Ganguly, highlighted the shelf stability of the hydrogel.

“After being encapsulated in the gel and stored for a month, the amoxicillin was found to have negligible changes,” he said.

“Our results showed that this hydrogel is safe for human eyes and can be effectively used in diverse biomedical applications,” Ganguly added.

The researchers have recently filed a patent for the technology.