<i>In Vivo</i> Efficacy of Contact Lens Drug-Delivery Systems in Glaucoma Management. A Systematic Review

• Main Authors: Francesco Sartini, Martina Menchini, Chiara Posarelli, Giamberto Casini, Michele Figus
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-01-01
• Series: Applied Sciences
• Subjects: contact lens; drug-delivery system; glaucoma; nanoparticles; adherence
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/2/724

Adherence is crucial in medical glaucoma therapy, although half of the patients skip eyedrops. In recent years alternative drug-delivery systems have been developed. One of the most promising seems the contact lens (CL). This systematic review aims to present the <i>in vivo</i> efficacy of different CL drug-delivery systems. A total of 126 studies were identified following a literature search adhering to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. After full-text evaluation, 19 studies about CL drug-delivery systems were included. To date, the following drug-delivery systems have been investigated <i>in vivo</i>: drug-soaked CL, CL with physical barriers (vitamin E), molecularly imprinted CL, CL with implants, and nanoparticle-loaded CL. Nanoparticle-loaded CL and CL with implants seem the most promising drug-delivery systems, although initial burst drug release and patient acceptance may limit their widespread use in current practice. Clinical trials are warranted to understand the role of CL as a drug-delivery system in improving glaucomatous patient care.