Contact Lens as Drug Delivery System for Glaucoma Treatment: A Review

Background and Objective: Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness globally and directly impacts optic nerve-altering vision. The condition has been linked to increased intraocular pressure (IOP). The objective of this review was to search how well different drug solutions containing gold nanoparticles (GNPs) work in treating glaucoma, with a focus on using contact lenses instead of regular eye drops. Materials and Methods: The methodology was structured to review different literature on ocular drugs used in contact lenses to investigate and determine their impact on intraocular pressure (IOP). Some of the intraocular drugs covered in the methodology include timolol, bimatoprost, pilocarpine, etc. The review focused on using gold nanoparticles (GNPs) infused with the solution in contact lenses for timolol. Results: The review found that timolol helps reduce intraocular pressure for the first two hours, but then the effect wears off. Moreover, gold nanoparticles infused with timolol solution on contact lenses improved IOP. GNPs in lenses increased the accumulation of timolol in ciliary muscles. Conclusion: Contact lenses with saturated drug solutions and GNPs have better bioavailability and release durations. Given its prolonged drug release time and bioavailability, the timolol solution relieves intraocular pressure better than other solutions. GNP-infused contact lenses with drug solutions have been found to treat glaucoma better than eye drops.