They say the eye is the window to the soul, but soon it could also be a window to your medication. Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed an innovative contact lens that not only improves vision but also delivers medication directly to the eye.

This breakthrough technology uses a special hydrogel, 3D-printed onto the lens, to continuously release drugs, offering a more convenient, precise, and effective alternative to traditional eye drop treatments.

Contact Lens Medication

Most contact lenses today are made of soft polymers like hydrogels — water-loving materials that retain moisture. So, leveraging this property, the researchers used a silicone-based hydrogel that can be integrated into the lens and programmed to release medications gradually.

This hydrogel is applied via 3D printing and cured with UV light. The team applied the hydrogel onto the periphery of contact lenses and tested its ability to encapsulate and release amoxicillin — a penicillin antibiotic. Impressively, the hydrogel system was able to regulate the release of medication over several weeks, maintaining stability even after a month of storage.

“Once we knew the hydrogel had good strength and flexibility, we decided to test its ability to hold and release drugs by using amoxicillin, a commonly prescribed antibiotic for ailments related to the eye,” said Shirley Tang, a Waterloo professor in the Department of Chemistry and Associate Dean, Research in the Faculty of Science.

The hydrogel was able to regulate the release of amoxicillin over time and seemed to work for weeks in a row. Furthermore, the drug encapsulation was stable, remaining intact without any degradation even after a storage period of one month.

“After being encapsulated in the gel and stored for a month, the amoxicillin was found to have negligible changes,” said Sayan Ganguly, a post-doctoral researcher in the Department of Chemistry. “Our results showed that this hydrogel is safe for human eyes and can be effectively used in diverse biomedical applications.”

First of Its Kind

“As far as we know, this is the first soft biomaterial based on hydrophilic materials that functions as an exceptional controlled drug delivery device,” the researchers added in the study.

The main advantage of this technology lies in its ability to deliver medication directly to the eye in a controlled, continuous manner. So, it eliminates the need for frequent eye drops. This improves precision, reduces wastage, and enhances patient compliance, particularly for individuals who struggle with administering traditional treatments.

Now, the team wants to assess the shelf life of the hydrogel and see whether it is robust enough to be used over the long-term. They’ve also filed for a patent.

The study was published in the journal Applied Bio Materials.