Patch with Microneedles Could Replace Eye Injections

patch-with-microneedles-could-replace-eye-injections.jpgInstead of getting eye injections, patients with serious eye diseases may be eligible for a contact lens-type patch.1 Injections are often recommended for eye diseases such as Wet (advanced) Age-Related Macular Degeneration, macular edema, and glaucoma. The new patch is inserted painlessly like a contact lens. It delivers tiny microneedles containing medication. The microneedles are made from natural materials and dissolve over time, gradually releasing medicine. Patients would be more likely to stick with a regimen that does not involve eye injections.

Eye Injections: Stick a Needle in My Eye

Patients generally dread eye injections. Injections must be performed in a doctor’s office. Eye injections can be painful, and they are inconvenient. They can introduce infection. And they can damage the eye. Avastin, Eylea, and Lucentis are injectable medications that discourage new blood vessel growth. These anti-VEGF medicines are useful for advanced Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Retinopathy, and swelling under the macula. Injected steroids reduce inflammation. They include Kenalog, Triesence, and Ozurdex (as a sustained release steroidal implant). Most diseases treatable with eye injections are chronic. They require long-term and continuous care. Therefore, patients who put off injections increase their risk of disease progression. Drops can introduce various medicines into the eye. However, their effect is usually short-lived. Therefore, eye drops are usually a multiple-daily regimen. The eyes naturally resist drops. Getting medicine directly into the eye is superior.

Microneedles in a Patch

Scientists at Nanyang Technological University have developed and tested a patch containing microneedles. The doctor presses the patch briefly on the eye. The microneedles detach and stay in the cornea. Over time, the microneedles gradually dissolve, steadily releasing medicine. Tests on animals proved the concept. Mice with corneal vascularization who received the patch had almost double the improvement versus a single, much stronger eye drop. If the concept pans out, the microneedle patch would be an efficient and pain-free eye drug delivery system.

https://www.lvcenter4sight.com/patch-with-microneedles-could-replace-eye-injections/

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