Researchers in China have developed an atropine-eluting silicon-based contact lens (CL) for vision correction and myopia control.
Writing in the Journal of Biomaterials Applications, researchers from Affiliated Hospital of Medical School Ningbo University said despite aqueous topical low-dose atropine solutions being the primary medical treatment for controlling myopia, they are unstable and easily break down, resulting in vision blur. So the team decided to explore drug-eluting CLs’ ability to control atropine release and improve efficacy. The safety and effectiveness of the new CLs were verified with rabbit and guinea pig models, with results showing the lenses also reduced side effects such as mydriasis, leading the research team to conclude atropine-eluting CLs may be an option for human myopia treatment.
