Hosseinian Hamed, Hosseini Samira, Martinez-Chapa Sergio O, Sher Mazhar
School of Engineering and Sciences, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey 64849, Mexico.
Writing Lab, Institute for the Future of Education, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Mexico.
Polymers (Basel). 2022 Jan 3;14(1):185. doi: 10.3390/polym14010185.
In recent years, wearable contact lenses for medical applications have attracted significant attention, as they enable continuous real-time recording of physiological information via active and noninvasive measurements. These devices play a vital role in continuous monitoring of intraocular pressure (IOP), noninvasive glucose monitoring in diabetes patients, drug delivery for the treatment of ocular illnesses, and colorblindness treatment. In specific, this class of medical devices is rapidly advancing in the area of drug loading and ocular drug release through incorporation of electrospun fibers. The electrospun fiber matrices offer a high surface area, controlled morphology, wettability, biocompatibility, and tunable porosity, which are highly desirable for controlled drug release. This article provides an overview of the advances of contact lens devices in medical applications with a focus on four main applications of these soft wearable devices: (i) IOP measurement and monitoring, (ii) glucose detection, (iii) ocular drug delivery, and (iv) colorblindness treatment. For each category and application, significant challenges and shortcomings of the current devices are thoroughly discussed, and new areas of opportunity are suggested. We also emphasize the role of electrospun fibers, their fabrication methods along with their characteristics, and the integration of diverse fiber types within the structure of the wearable contact lenses for efficient drug loading, in addition to controlled and sustained drug release. This review article also presents relevant statistics on the evolution of medical contact lenses over the last two decades, their strengths, and the future avenues for making the essential transition from clinical trials to real-world applications.
近年来，用于医学应用的可穿戴隐形眼镜备受关注，因为它们能够通过主动和非侵入性测量实现生理信息的连续实时记录。这些设备在眼压（IOP）的连续监测、糖尿病患者的无创血糖监测、眼部疾病治疗的药物递送以及色盲治疗中发挥着至关重要的作用。具体而言，这类医疗设备通过结合电纺纤维在药物负载和眼部药物释放领域正迅速发展。电纺纤维基质具有高表面积、可控的形态、润湿性、生物相容性和可调孔隙率，这些对于可控药物释放非常理想。本文概述了隐形眼镜设备在医学应用方面的进展，重点关注这些柔软可穿戴设备的四个主要应用：（i）眼压测量与监测，（ii）葡萄糖检测，（iii）眼部药物递送，以及（iv）色盲治疗。针对每个类别和应用，深入讨论了当前设备面临的重大挑战和缺点，并提出了新的机遇领域。我们还强调了电纺纤维的作用、其制造方法及其特性，以及在可穿戴隐形眼镜结构中整合不同纤维类型以实现高效药物负载以及可控和持续药物释放。这篇综述文章还介绍了过去二十年中医疗隐形眼镜发展的相关统计数据、它们的优势以及从临床试验向实际应用进行关键转变的未来途径。
