Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) scientists have developed a ‘contact lens’ patch with microneedles that could provide a painless and efficient alternative to current methods of treating eye diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration.

Current localized treatment methods such as eye drops and ointments are hindered by the eye’s natural defenses, blinking, and tears. Eye injections can be painful and carry a risk of infection and eye damage. As a result, some patients are unable to keep up with the prescribed regime for their eye ailments, many of which require long-term management.

The proof-of-concept patch, successfully tested in mice, is covered with biodegradable microneedles that deliver drugs into the eye in a controlled release. After pressing it onto the eye surface briefly and gently – much like putting on contact lenses – the drug-containing microneedles detach by themselves and stay in the cornea, releasing the drug over time as they dissolve.