Restoring Ocular Microbiota Balance: A New Bioprinted Approach to Treating Anterior Segment Diseases

Abstract

The ocular surface microbiota plays a fundamental role in maintaining ocular health, offering protection against pathogens, modulating immune responses, and supporting tear film stability. Dysbiosis, or disruption of this microbial balance, is increasingly recognized as a contributing factor to various ocular surface and anterior segment pathologies, including dry eye disease, blepharitis, conjunctivitis, and keratitis. This review explores the critical functions of the ocular microbiota and the consequences of its alteration in disease progression, particularly through mechanisms such as inflammation, biofilm formation, and epithelial damage. Current therapeutic approaches, including antibiotics and probiotics, face significant limitations in restoring microbial balance. A key challenge in these therapies is the delivery of beneficial bacteria in suspension, where they are rapidly cleared from the ocular surface, limiting their ability to establish a stable, protective population. To address this issue, a novel approach is proposed: the use of bioprinting technology to deliver beneficial bacteria in a solid, structured form. This bioprinted approach offers several advantages, including improved retention of bacteria on the ocular surface and a controlled release over time, increasing the likelihood of successful repopulation with beneficial microbial species. By overcoming the rapid clearance observed with conventional suspensions, this method holds the potential to restore ocular microbial balance more effectively, providing long-term therapeutic benefits for chronic ocular surface diseases. Future research will require preclinical and clinical studies to validate the safety and efficacy of this innovative approach. This bioprinted bacterial therapy represents a significant advancement in the management of ocular surface and anterior segment pathologies, offering a novel, targeted strategy for microbiota restoration.