Advances in Long-Acting Ocular Therapies for Dry Eye Disease: Delivery Systems, Formulations, and Clinical Perspectives.

Dry eye is a multifactorial ophthalmic disorder, and its prevalence has been increasing annually with advances in modern technology and lifestyle changes. It has now become one of the most common ocular conditions. The need for frequent administration of traditional dry eye medications often compromises patient adherence. Therefore, the development of long-acting delivery systems and formulations capable of prolonging ocular surface residence time, overcoming ocular surface barriers, enhancing drug bioavailability, and reducing dosing frequency has become an important research direction. This review provides a comprehensive overview of long-acting ocular therapies for dry eye disease from three perspectives: delivery systems, formulations, and clinical applications, with the aim of identifying future research directions.