Ocular Drug Delivery: Introduction and Fundamental Concept

Ocular diseases are one of the most serious concerns worldwide, with more than 45 million cases of blindness, significantly affecting the vision and quality of life of the patients. However, effective drug delivery to the eyes remains challenging, especially to the posterior region of the eye due to the presence of various ocular barriers. This led to various advancements in the development of various novel ocular therapeutics with superior efficacy and safety. This chapter highlights the basics of ocular drug delivery systems (ODDS) including the anatomy of the eyes and their physiological barriers affecting the drug delivery, various invasive and noninvasive routes of ocular drug administration, a brief overview of ocular diseases, their complications, and various conventional and novel ODDS. Regulatory perspectives of ODDS, overview of marketed ophthalmic products, and recently approved patents along with the future perspectives in design and development of safe and effective ODDS have also been addressed in this chapter.