Euro Optometry and Vision Science

Nano Ophthalmology

Nanotechnology is a novel concept that will quickly rise to the pinnacle of science and technology. It penetrates using nanometer-sized molecules and has proven useful in space, medicine, and other scientific fields. The eye is an ideal target for nanotechnology because it is a small organ that can be easily accessed due to its exposed location. The "discovery of nanomedicines" appears to have "reawakened huge aspirations for ophthalmic pharmacotherapy, in which nanostructured drugs are predicted to pass through the eye's limiting barriers." Safe manufacturing procedures and unanticipated biological consequences of nanomaterial use continue to be barriers to nanotechnology adoption. These obstacles are not insurmountable, and this emerging industry is likely to produce novel treatments for ocular disorders.