This review describes the role of contact lenses as an innovative drug delivery system in treating eye diseases. Current ophthalmic drug delivery systems are inadequate, particularly eye drops, which allow about 95% of the active substance to be lost through tear drainage. According to the literature, many interdisciplinary studies have been carried out on the ability of contact lenses to increase the penetration of topical therapeutic agents. Contact lenses limit drug loss by releasing the medicine into two layers of tears on either side of the contact lens, eventually extending the time of contact with the ocular surface. Thanks to weighted soft contact lenses, a continuous release of the drug over an extended period is possible. This article reviewed the various techniques to deliver medications through contact lenses, examining their advantages and disadvantages. In addition, the potential of drug delivery systems based on contact lenses has been extensively studied.

Controlled drug delivery is a matter of interest to numerous scientists from various domains, as well as an essential issue for society as a whole. In the treatment of many diseases, it is crucial to control the dosing of a drug for a long time and thus maintain its optimal concentration in the tissue. Heart diseases are particularly important in this aspect. One such disease is an obstructive arterial disease affecting millions of people around the world. In recent years, stents and balloon catheters have reached a significant position in the treatment of this condition. Balloon catheters are also successfully used to manage tear ducts, paranasal sinuses, or salivary glands disorders. Modern technology is continually striving to improve the results of previous generations of stents and balloon catheters by refining their design, structure, and constituent materials. These advances result in the development of both successive models of drug-eluting stents (DES) and drug-eluting balloons (DEB). This paper presents milestones in the development of DES and DEB, which are a significant option in the treatment of coronary artery diseases. This report reviews the works related to achievements in construction designs and materials, as well as preparation technologies, of DES and DEB. Special attention was paid to the polymeric biodegradable materials used in the production of the above-mentioned devices. Information was also collected on the various methods of producing drug release coatings and their effectiveness in releasing the active substance.

Ocular drug delivery presents a persistent clinical challenge due to the protective anatomical structure of the eye, physiological barriers such as reflex blinking, and continuous tear fluid turnover. These factors significantly limit the bioavailability of topically applied medications, reducing the therapeutic effectiveness of conventional formulations, such as eye drops, ointments, and suspensions, particularly in the management of chronic ocular disorders, including dry eye syndrome, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration. Drug-eluting contact lenses (DECLs) offer a promising alternative, enabling sustained, localized, and controlled drug release directly at the ocular surface. While several reviews have addressed contact lenses as drug delivery platforms, this work provides a distinct perspective by focusing specifically on biodegradable polymer-based systems. Emphasis is placed on recent advances in the design and fabrication of DECLs using natural and synthetic biodegradable polymers, which offer superior biocompatibility, customizable degradation kinetics, and the capacity for programmable drug release. This review discusses the selection criteria for polymer matrices, strategies for drug incorporation, and key factors influencing release profiles. Moreover, this study highlights innovative methodologies and therapeutic approaches that differentiate it from the existing literature, providing a timely and comprehensive resource for researchers developing next-generation polymeric ocular drug delivery systems.

This study is aimed at evaluation of the outcome of an outreach program conducted in the remote Himalayan part of Nepal. Conclusions will be used to improve blindness prevention projects in this country. A temporary outreach microsurgical clinic was established in Diktel, Nepal. All patients who reported to the clinic were examined. Cases requiring surgical treatment, mostly cataracts, were operated on. Minor ocular diseases were treated on the spot, while the complicated ones were diagnosed, given initial treatment and referred to the nearest eye hospital. Examination was performed on 1296 patients; 84 subjects underwent manual small incision cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation. Intraoperative complications included 1 posterior capsule rupture (1.2%). Six weeks following the treatment 98.6% of the operated patients achieved corrected distance visual acuity of 0.3 or better. Out of all 1296 examined individuals, 224 (17.3%) presented visual impairment; 634 (24.5%) of the total number of eyes presented visual acuity of <0.3. In 90.2% of eyes the determinant of loss of sight was avoidable. High percentage of avoidable blindness, with the majority caused by cataract and refractive errors alone, indicate that appropriate programs focused on these diseases should be implemented. High volume cataract surgery in a camp setting with the application of appropriate surgical techniques and standardized protocols of disinfection and sterilization do not have to compromise on the quality of the outcome.

Purpose: To assess the efficacy of commonly available coronary angioplasty balloon catheters as a low-cost alternative to the traditional dacryoplasty catheters in select patients of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Methods: A prospective, interventional study was performed between July 2018 and December 2018 in children with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction, who underwent balloon dacryoplasty using the coronary angioplasty balloon catheters (2.75 × 10 mm, SPALNO, Cardiomac, Haryana, India). The inclusion criteria were children ≥4 years of age, and/or previously failed probing and/or previous failed intubation. Parameters documented were demographics, techniques, costs, complications, and postoperative outcomes. Results: Twenty-three eyes of 22 children underwent balloon dacryoplasty using coronary angioplasty balloon catheters. The mean age of the patients was 4.33 years (range 1.5–10 years). The procedure was performed in 8 patients (8 eyes, 35%) as the primary procedure. The remaining 14 patients (15 eyes, 65%) had a history of probing, of which 4 eyes had it twice earlier. All eyes underwent balloon dacryoplasty as per standard protocols. The insertion profile and trackability of the coronary catheters were good. At a mean follow up of 6.17 months (range 1.5–9 months), anatomical and functional success was obtained in 87% cases (n = 20/23). No lacrimal passage trauma or injuries were noted during the procedure. The cost of coronary balloon catheter was approximately $60. Conclusions: The present pilot study has shown that outcomes of balloon dacryoplasty in patients with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction with coronary balloon catheters is comparable to that of traditional balloons and offers significant economic advantage for developing nations.