Title:Age-Related Macular Degeneration - Therapies and Their Delivery
Volume: 21
Issue: 5
Author(s): Chandrasekar Ponnusamy*, Puratchikody Ayarivan, Preethi Selvamuthu and Subramanian Natesan
Affiliation:
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University College of Engineering, Bharathidasan Institute of Technology
Campus, Anna University, Tiruchirappalli-620024, Tamil Nadu, India
Keywords:
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD), common ocular diseases, topical ocular drug delivery, nanocarriers, treatments for ARMD, photodynamic therapy.
Abstract: Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is a degenerative ocular disease that is the most
important cause of irreversible vision loss in old-aged people in developed countries. Around fifty percent
of vision impairments in developed countries are due to ARMD. It is a multifaceted disease that is
associated with both genetic and environmental risk factors. The most important treatments option for
ARMD includes laser photocoagulation, photodynamic therapy (PDT), Anti-VEGF Injections, and
combination therapies. In this review, we also propose that topical ocular drug delivery with nanocarriers
has more attention for the treatment of ARMD. The nanocarriers were specially designed for enhanced
corneal residential time, prolonged drug release and action, and minimizing the frequency of
administrations. Different types of nanocarriers were developed for the topical ocular delivery system,
such as nanomicelles, nanoemulsions, nanosuspensions, liposomes, and polymeric nanoparticles. These
topical ocular nanocarriers were administered topically, and they can fix the hydrophobic substances,
increase solubility and improve the bioavailability of an administered drug. Hence the topical ocular
delivery systems with nanocarriers provide a safe and effective therapeutic strategy and promising tool
for the treatment of posterior segment ocular diseases ARMD.