Abstract
Drug delivery to the eye is a challenging task given the inherent structural and physiological uniqueness of the eye. The eye is a composite organ comprised of unique structures with distinct structure and functions that work together for the perception of sight. Structures like the cornea, the crystalline lens, and the vitreous humor are avascular structures, while the uveal tract is primarily the vascular layer of the eye. The retinal neuro-circuitry is complex and situated deep inside the eye and is a derivative of neuroectoderm. Similar to the blood–brain barrier, there is the blood–retina barrier in the eye. The limited external surface area and the deep isolated location of the different structures of the eye along with avascularity of some of the structures and the blood–retina barrier pose unique challenges for delivery of drugs to intraocular structures.
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Malavade, S. (2016). Overview of the Ophthalmic System. In: Pathak, Y., Sutariya, V., Hirani, A. (eds) Nano-Biomaterials For Ophthalmic Drug Delivery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29346-2_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29346-2_2
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