title: Antimicrobial biomaterials and their potential application in ophthalmology.
abstract: Infections associated with the use of intraocular, periocular, or orbital implants are associated with an increase in both morbidity and in the costs of ophthalmological surgery. This is due to an increased number of visits and the need for additional treatments, at a time when some conventional therapies are losing their efficacy, or even hospitalization. To avoid such consequences, the first step should be to prevent the biomaterials that form implants from being colonized by various microorganisms, either intraoperatively or postoperatively. To this end, several lines of research have emerged that aim at equipping implants with antimicrobial properties, some of which are described in this review.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orbital and Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery, Institut Català de Retina, Barcelona - Spain.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Anaya-Alaminos
authors.affiliation: Department of Orbital and Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery, Institut Català de Retina, Barcelona - Spain.
authors.forename: Nuria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ibáñez-Flores
authors.affiliation: Department of Orbital and Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery, Institut Català de Retina, Barcelona - Spain.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aznar-Peña
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Keratoprosthesis Laboratory - Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA - USA.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: González-Andrades
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001704:Biopolymers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D019736:Prostheses and Implants / Q000009:adverse effects; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001704:Biopolymers; D008670:Metals