Microneedles, too small to be seen with the naked eye may offer the best way to treat glaucoma and corneal neovascularization, two of the world’s leading eye diseases.
The microneedles range in length from 400 to 700 microns and could provide a new way to deliver drugs to specific areas within the eye relevant to these diseases. By targeting the drugs only to specific parts of the eye instead of the entire eye, researchers hope to increase effectiveness, limit side effects, and reduce the amount of drug needed.
Glaucoma affects about 2.2 million people in the United States and is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. The goal is to develop time-release drugs that could replace daily administration of eye drops. A painless microneedle injection made once every three to six months—potentially during regular office visits—could improve treatment outcomes by providing consistent dosages which could overcome patient compliance issues.
In the second disease, corneal neovascularization, corneal injury results in the growth of unwanted blood vessels that impair vision. To treat it, researchers developed solid microneedles for delivering a dry drug compound that stops vessel growth.
“The power of microneedles for treating eye conditions is the ability to target delivery of the drug within the eye,” says Mark Prausnitz, professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
“We are developing different microneedle-based systems that can put the drug precisely into the part of the eye where it’s needed. In many cases, we hope to couple that delivery with a controlled-release formulation that would allow one application to treat a condition for weeks or months.”
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription
