If you are hovering on this page, perhaps you know about nanotechnology’s potential and would now like to understand nanotechnology’s contribution to ophthalmology. For starters, it is understood that – nanotechnology, when used precisely and correctly, will revolutionize the therapeutic challenges (in this case, it is ophthalmology) and address the potential issues that this branch of healthcare is facing. So, when you are talking about the usage/presence of nanotechnology in ophthalmology, that implies dealing with the challenges associated with – ocular diseases and the issues regarding ocular drug delivery.
By the end of this post, you will get an idea of the growing challenges of ophthalmology and how to use nanotechnology to mitigate the same at multiple levels.
What are the key challenges of ophthalmology?
Before understanding the advantages of nanotechnology in opthalmology, let us check out the key challenges that ophthalmology as a branch is facing today –
- The issues regarding late detection and further surgical and post-operative options in case of cataracts and glaucoma – especially in the backward domains of society
- Issues regarding macular degeneration
- Refractive errors
- A range of causes leading to vision impairment
Apart from the above-mentioned concerns, factors such as the lack of specialized healthcare workers (qualified ophthalmologists) and their limited access to the concerned individuals are also matters of key concern.
Now, let us try to understand how nanotechnology – which, in layperson’s terms, is the creation and usage of intracellular molecules and structures to deal with such chronic issues specifically – helps in ocular disease detection and care.
How helpful is nanotechnology in ophthalmology?
If we have to simply put forth an answer, then nanotechnology, with respect to ophthalmology, is used to treat choroidal vessels, manage oxidative stress, and prevent any kind of post-operative scars. Let us brief that for you –
- Delivering of drugs
As you already know, one can treat multiple opthalmological conditions via eye drops on the ocular surface. However, the ‘actual effect’ of these eyedrops (given their depreciation rate) stands out at a mere 5%! However, when you use nanoparticles as an alternative, the reflexive tearing and the blurring effect are minimal.
That’s not all! Liposomes can deliver both lipophilic and hydrophilic drugs, while nanomaterials like dendrimers and nano eye drops inhibit the growth of microbial agents and act as an adhesive when it comes to corneal repair. A study on contact lenses that were packed with nanoparticle drugs showed – a higher rate of corneal bioavailability.
- Dealing with cataract and glaucoma surgeries
Post-operative ophthalmologic care and precise drug delivery are a huge headache for medical professionals. However, with the usage of eye and macular nanoformula, the process is comparatively better. Let’s check how –
When one is talking about cataracts, one must understand that nano-substances have a higher ratio when it comes to (surface area: volume). This high ratio is utilized categorically to monitor the amount of reactive species when you deal with cataracts.
At the same time, regarding glaucoma, a preliminary study states – that nanotechnology can improve drug bioavailability as well as expand surgical and diagnostic modalities in this case. This reduces the chances of post-operative scarring of glaucoma (as mentioned beforehand) and effectively prevents the loss of retinal ganglion cells, which is the key to a permanent cure of glaucoma.
- Role of nanotechnology with regards to the retina
Do you know that – the composition of drugs, the surface area for administration, and the particle size affect the delivery of any ocular drug to the retina? Hence, to deal with such issues, medical professionals have found an alternative in nanoparticles. When dealing with retinal disorders, one can administer nanoparticles to the retina without the chances of any notable toxic side-effect.
- Gene Therapy is also a crucial part of it
Another critical area where the predominance of nanotechnology in ophthalmology has benefitted is – gene therapy via cornea. Simply speaking, the cornea is separated from the systemic immune system. So, when medical professionals are looking to modulate pathological conditions, they could transfer the gene via the cornea to carry out specific structural functions.
Apart from that, when you are dealing with conditions like – herpetic stromal keratitis or cornea neovascularization, this gene therapy via cornea is a surefire way to success!
- The usage of regenerative nanomedicine in ophthalmology
Lastly, speaking – when one is talking about regenerative nanomedicine, that implies, the replacement of damaged cells/tissues with new ones by advanced methods. The nanoparticles carry modifying factors like gene transcription factors and stimulate a sense of selective differentiation of the neural progenitor cells.
The result? A development in neuro-mechanical conditions. The nanocarriers are packed with biological molecules and carry out drug deliveries to the precisely indicated points, thereby bettering the outcome.
These are some of the key areas wherein you can categorically extend the usage of nanotechnology in ophthalmology. Some of these are already showing desired results, and if directed in the correct manner, they will yield better results in the future as well.
What is the Future of Nanomedicine in Ophthalmology?
As you can understand quite well, the future is undoubtedly very bright. Given that it is a multidisciplinary field, in some instances – if one wheel does not work well, the other facets may also face a negation. Despite it all, the concepts of nano or liposomal eye drops, regenerative ocular nanomedicine, and other features are supposedly moving in the correct direction.
There are a handful of backlogs – such as a lack of immediate funds for investment, a lack of awareness at all levels, and some ethical concerns. However, these are solvable when addressed correctly. Therefore, one may state that – standing today, the future of nanotechnology in ophthalmology looks promising.
Parting thoughts
Assuming you have read this post, you have already understood how the usage of nanotechnology in ophthalmology is moving ahead. Though there are certain ethical concerns about the usage of nanotechnology, however, the future looks extremely promising. Therefore, one can only hope that this gives individuals a new direction in better and targeted usage of nanotechnology in the domain of ophthalmology.
