Transscleral Drug Delivery

Abstract

The treatment of diseases of the posterior segment of the eye remains limited by the ability to deliver effective doses of drugs to target tissues in the posterior eye. Topical delivery as drops and systemic delivery require large doses and remain limited in delivering effective doses to the back of the eye. Intravitreal injection and implantation of intravitreal sustained-release delivery devices are effective but invasive, and both modes of delivery share potential risks of retinal detachment, endophtalmitis, hemorrhage, and cataract. Numerous studies have demonstrated that drugs and solutes can diffuse across the sclera in vitro and in situ when delivered by a periocular approach. Transscleral delivery could provide an effective alternative approach for delivering therapeutic agents to the posterior tissues of the eye.