CONTENT
• Ocular drug delivery systems:
Introduction
Intra ocular barriers and methods to overcome preliminary study, ocular
formulation and ocuserts .
INTRODUCTION
• Ocular administration of drugs is required to formulations are in the form of eye drops and
treat ophthalmic diseases and infections . they target the anterior segment eye.
• Eye is most easily accessible site for topical • Major challenges to anterior segment drug
administration of a medication delivery are precorneal loss factors and low
• The most commonly used ophthalmic dosage permeability of the corneal epithelial
forms are solutions , suspension and membrane.
ointments.
• Delivery of drugs to the posterior segment is
• but these preparations when instilled into eye more challenging then to the anterior segment
are rapidly drained away from the ocular cavity due to the acellular nature of the vitreous body
due to tear flow and lacrimal nasal drainage .
and longer diffusion distance .
• Hence , conventional drug delivery systems
are not effective enough to meet the • Ideal ophthalmic drug delivery must be able to
requirements in the treatment of ocular sustain the drug release and to remain in the
diseases . vicinity of front of the eye for prolong period of
time
• More then 90% of the marketed ophthalmic
• They are specialized dosage forms designed to be instilled onto the
external surface of the eye ( topical ) , administered inside (intracellular )
or adjacent ( periocular ) to the eye or used in conjugation with an
ophthalmic device .
• The novel approach of drug delivery system in which drug can be instilled
on the cull de sac cavity ( space between eye lids and eye balls ) of eye in
known as ocular drug delivery system.
• Thenewest dosage forms for ophthalmic drug delivery are gels , gel
forming solutions , ocular inserts , intravitreal injections and implants.
ADVANTAGES
• Increased accurate dosing to overcome the side effects of pulsed dosing
produced by conventional systems .
• Provide sustained and controlled drug delivery.
• Increased the ocular bioavailability of drug by increasing the corneal contact
time . This can be achieved by effective adherence to corneal surface .
• Provides targeting within the ocular globe so as to prevent the loss to other
ocular tissues.
• Avoids the protective barriers like drainage, lacrimation and conjunctival
absorption .
• provide comfort , better compliance to the patient and to improve therapeutic
performance of drug.
• Easy to administer .
• Provide better housing of delivery system.
• Low systemic side effects.
• Increase shelf life of product .
• Increases ocular residence which improves bioavailability.
DISAVANTAGES
• Dosage form cannot be terminated during emergency.
• Interference with vision.
• Difficulty in placement and removal
• Occasional loss during sleep or while rubbing eyes .
• Perceived by patient as foreign body.
• Products are expensive .
• Insertion technique is difficult and expulsion of shield may occur not individually fit
for each patient .
ANATOMY OF THE EYE
• The eye has a spherical shape
included in the orbital cavity and
protected by lids .
• With a diameter of 24 mm and a
volume of 6.5 cm³, it weigh about
7.5 g.
• It is divided in two segment :
1) anterior segment ( cornea ,
conjunctiva , aqueous humor, iris
, ciliary body and lens )
2) Posterior segment ( retina ,
choroid , sclera , and vitreous
humor
Structure components of eyeball-divide into 3 layers:
Outermost layer : transparent cornea and opaque sclera.
Middle layer : iris anteriorly , choroid posteriorly and ciliary body .
Inner layer : retina ,which is extension of the CNS .
Composition of an eye
Water 98% , solid 1.8% , organic elements ( protein ) 0.67%, sugar 0.65% ,
Nacl 0.66% other mineral element sodium , potassium and ammonia 0.79%
HG