Nanoparticles in Ophthalmology

For about 20 years, nanotechnological applications are intensively investigated in all fields of medicine. In ophthalmology, nanoparticles are of special interest as carrier systems for the targeted delivery of drugs, genes or siRNA to the anterior as well as to the posterior segment of the eye. Above that, sustained drug release plays a major role for the treatment of many ophthalmic diseases and nanoparticles have the potential to perform this task without inducing local adverse reactions. Nanoparticles are primarily defined by their size that has to range below 100 nm. All other characteristics are variable. The large variety of nanoparticle types and the fact, that they are easily modifiable allows their adaption to the task set for them. In this review, we summarize the application of nanoparticles in ophthalmology and describe the current challenges.