Ophthalmic drug development and the elderly

Abstract

As the global elderly population has gone up, so has age-related ocular conditions and diseases. The eye is a highly protected organ and has natural barriers that pose substantial challenges to drug delivery. In addition, since most drugs are directly applied to the eye, patient compliance, especially in the elderly, poses significant additional challenges. This chapter highlights the key anatomical and physiological barriers both in the anterior segment and posterior segments of the eye, as well as key strategies employed by drug development scientists to overcome patient compliance issues. Optimization of conventional topical medications as well as novel strategies for sustained delivery and thorough judicious use of devices are needed for effective treatment of these conditions.