Advances in Contact Lenses for Ophthalmic Drug Delivery

Contact lenses offer a promising platform for ocular drug delivery, addressing the pharmacokinetic limitations of traditional eye drops. This chapter reviews the development of drug-eluting contact lenses, focusing on strategies to optimize drug loading and controlled release while preserving essential lens properties such as comfort, oxygen permeability, and visual clarity. Various drug loading techniques, including molecular imprinting, nanoparticle incorporation, and reservoir systems, are discussed, along with their respective advantages and challenges. The chapter also examines the release kinetics of different drug formulations and the factors influencing drug delivery to the ocular tissues. The recent commercialization of an anti-allergy drug-eluting contact lens marks a significant milestone in this field, paving the way for further innovation and broader clinical application of this targeted drug delivery approach. Future directions and challenges, including the development of lenses for sustained drug release and the treatment of chronic ocular diseases, are also explored.