title: Nanocarriers for treatment of ocular neovascularization in the back of the eye: new vehicles for ophthalmic drug delivery.
abstract: Pathologic neovascularization of the retina is a major cause of substantial and irreversible loss of vision. Drugs are difficult to deliver to the lesions in the back of the eye and this is a major obstacle for the therapeutics. Current pharmacological approach involves an intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF agents to prevent aberrant growth of blood vessels, but it has limitations including therapeutic efficacy and side-effects associated with systemic exposure and invasive surgery. Nanotechnology provides novel opportunities to overcome the limitations of conventional delivery system to reach the back of the eye through fabrication of nanostructures capable of encapsulating and delivering small molecules. This review article introduces various forms of nanocarrier that can be adopted by ocular drug delivery systems to improve current therapy. The application of nanotechnology in medicine brings new hope for ocular drug delivery in the back of the eye to manage the major causes of blindness associated with ocular neovascularization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Hsin-Hui
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Centre for Eye Research Australia, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia.|Department of Ophthalmology, University of Melbourne, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Elsa C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Centre for Eye Research Australia, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Jia Hui
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.|Yuh-Ing Junior College of Health Care & Management, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.|National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Youn-Shen
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Bee
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Tunghai University, Taichung City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tsung-Wu
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Centre for Eye Research Australia, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia.|Department of Ophthalmology, University of Melbourne, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Dusting
authors.affiliation: Centre for Eye Research Australia, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia.|Department of Ophthalmology, University of Melbourne, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Guei-Sheung
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D005123:Eye / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations
keywords: drug delivery; eye; nanocarriers; ocular neovascularization