Nanotechnology and glaucoma: little particles for a big disease.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Current medical treatments designed to halt the progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in glaucoma are limited by low bioavailability to target tissues and lack of patient adherence to frequent dosing regimens. For a certain percentage of patients with glaucoma, reducing intraocular pressure (IOP) does not stop disease progression, motivating the search for new therapeutic targets and delivery systems.

RECENT FINDINGS: The emerging science of nanoparticles has the potential to address the current limitations of glaucoma therapy by improving drug bioavailability, exploiting IOP-independent targets such as RGC neuroprotection, and optimizing gene therapy as a more permanent treatment for glaucoma.

SUMMARY: We review the recent advances in nanoparticle-based glaucoma therapy with a focus on drug delivery to the eye, as well as novel applications including gene therapy.