(387h) Smart Contact Lenses Loaded with pH Responsive Nanocomposites Particles for Ophthalmic Drug Delivery

Controlled drug delivery from contact lenses is becoming an attractive treatment method for ocular diseases like glaucoma, as the traditional eye drop method is known for deficiencies, such as poor patient compliance and low bioavailability. From controlled contact lenses delivery, drug molecules have a longer residence time in the post-lens tear film, which ultimately leads to a higher drug flux through the cornea and a lower possible of the toxicity side effects. Here we present a novel device engineered with the capability to trigger release drugs by using a biocompatible, pH responsive nanocomposite material (silica/alginate NCs) integrated into a contact lens. These pH responsive nanocomposite particles are made by a water in oil microemulsion method and characterized by DLS, TEM, and TGA for the size, shape and alginate weight ratio. These silica/alginate NCs show the pH dependent release, most of the loaded drug model will be released at pH7.4. When these nanocomposite particles are incorporated into a contact lens, the optical transmission loss is reduced by less than 5%. Moreover, these silica/alginate NCs still have the pH responsive property when loaded inside the contact lenses and can triggered release encapsulated drugs under physiological pH.