Antibiotic eyedrops typically require frequent instillation due to the eye's defensive mechanisms limiting drugs from reaching target sites. This may risk patient non-adherence and treatment inefficacy. The aim of this study was to develop a biocompatible and fully soluble ocular film insert to enhance the delivery of levofloxacin, as well as the handling procedure for its administration; based on the anatomical dimensions and physiological conditions of the human eye. Inserts were prepared by solvent casting method, using HPMC, sodium alginate, gelatin, PEG 400, and levofloxacin solution, and characterised for various physicochemical properties (e.g., uniformity of weight and thickness, loss on dryness, swelling index, water uptake and surface pH). Mechanical properties were assessed and compared against a commercially available buccal film formulation. Uniformity of content and release profile of inserts were assessed by means of a validated analytical method. Antibacterial effectiveness was studied by adapted disc diffusion method on Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The formulation including HPMC E15 (1250 mg), low viscosity sodium alginate (750 mg), type A gelatin (250 mg) and PEG 400 (2.5 mL) and 0.1% levofloxacin solution, resulted in high quality inserts, exhibiting uniformity of mass, thickness, and levofloxacin content, that comply with Pharmacopeial standards. Inserts were able to withstand unilinear and repeated mechanical stresses, suggesting suitability for manipulation linked to eye administration. The fully soluble levofloxacin-loaded inserts exhibited good physicochemical and mechanical characteristics, indicating good compatibility with ocular environment and administration procedure. Consistent levofloxacin content and biphasic release pattern showed immediate and sustained antimicrobial efficacy, consistently above the minimum inhibitory concentrations for the model species tested. This work also presents an experimental framework that can be adapted for designing and testing ocular drug delivery systems accounting for anatomical and physiological characteristics of the eye.

Purpose: To profile the immediate effect of defocus-modulating and contrast-modulating myopia control spectacle lens interventions on visual function. Methods: Healthy myopic (mean spherical equivalent (MSE) −4.25 to −0.50 D) young adults, corrected with contact lenses, wore diffusion optics technology (DOT), defocus incorporated multiple segments (DIMS), highly aspherical lenslets (HAL) and standard single vision (SV) plano trial spectacle lenses, in a prospective, single-visit, double-blind, four-way randomised crossover study. Distance and near high- and low-contrast visual acuity (VA), contrast sensitivity, reading performance, accommodative facility, visual search task and accommodative accuracy were assessed foveally through the central zone (CZ) and/or peripheral zone (PZ) of the lenses. Results: Twenty participants (16 female) were recruited, with a mean (±SD) age of 22.4 (±2.72) years and MSE −2.21 (±1.10) D. VAs through the PZ differed significantly between myopia control lenses and SV, with the HAL and DIMS exhibiting lower VA across all testing conditions (all p <0.05) and DOT demonstrating equivalence to SV with high contrast letters. Contrast sensitivity was similarly reduced for all lenses through the CZ, while HAL and DIMS performed worse than both SV and DOT through the PZ ( p 0.05), whereas DIMS exhibited worse near acuity threshold and critical print size ( p 0.05) or visual search duration (CZ: p = 0.68; PZ: p = 0.35). Accommodative response was similar across lenses (all p >0.05); however, SV had lower variability at distance through the PZ than DOT, HAL and DIMS ( p <0.001). Conclusion: All three myopia control lenses exhibited visual performance comparable to standard SV lenses through the CZ. Clinicians should note differences in visual performance, especially VA and reading speed through the lens periphery and their relative testing.

Many firms publicize net-zero or carbon neutral targets, yet it is unclear whether consumers understand these targets. Policy proposals–as well as recent court rulings–call on firms to explain what those targets mean. We test whether such explanations enhance consumer understanding in two online studies with nationally representative U.S. samples (N=300; N=1,500) and in a large-scale webcam-based eye-tracking experiment (N=500). Baseline knowledge is low: 95 percent of respondents fail to name even one defining feature of net-zero or carbon neutral targets, yet they are willing to pay a price premium for gift cards from companies with such targets. Concise disclosures raise objective understanding when a single product is shown, but none of the formats alter willingness to pay. In a more realistic setting with multiple products and competing cues, disclosures attract substantial gaze time, yet no longer improve comprehension; the visually salient color-coded format is associated with more misconceptions. These findings contribute to the growing evidence that individual-level measures, such as information provision, may be a less effective response to systemic problems like global warming than previously thought.

Eye drops remain the principal topical treatment for ocular infections, yet rapid precorneal clearance, variable dose delivery and limited tissue penetration can restrict local drug availability and necessitate frequent administration. Conjunctival inserts have long been investigated as a means of extending ocular residence and thin film inserts offer a more adaptable solid dosage form that may provide a defined drug-containing unit, prolonged local exposure and hydration-dependent dissolution or transformation within the conjunctival sac. Clinical translation remains limited by substantial variability in formulation design, manufacturing control and performance testing. This review critically evaluates the manufacture and characterisation of ocular anti-infective thin film inserts, with the aim of identifying the principal factors that determine reproducibility, interpretability and progression beyond formulation feasibility. Film architecture, polymer selection and drug-loading strategy are considered in relation to the physicochemical characteristics of the active pharmaceutical ingredient and the intended behaviour of the finished insert. Solvent casting remains the most extensively investigated manufacturing approach, while extrusion, electrospinning and additive manufacturing broaden the available processing options. Across these methods, incomplete specification of material and process variables frequently restricts comparison and reproducibility. Testing procedures are similarly heterogeneous and often assess individual attributes without establishing how the finished insert performs under conditions relevant to conjunctival administration. Particular limitations concern dosage-unit uniformity, hydration and matrix transformation, drug-release models and the interpretation of antimicrobial activity. Progression towards clinically relevant products will require indication-led development in which manufacturing control, pharmaceutical quality, ocular compatibility and biorelevant performance evaluation are considered as connected elements. This approach may provide a stronger basis for determining whether the potential advantages of ocular anti-infective thin film inserts can be translated into reproducible and clinically useful dosage forms.