Progress in Drug-Loaded Molecularly Imprinted Contact Lenses

Molecularly imprinted contact lenses (MI-CL) can provide sustained drug release and improve the efficiency of ophthalmic drug delivery. They can significantly decrease the patients' discomfort caused by eye drops, but can also reload relevant drugs. More importantly, they can load high-molecular drugs. They show great potential application in the ophthalmology clinic. In this review, the principle and development, and the drug-loading model and sustained-release model of the MI-CL are included and discussed. This review can be useful for the design of novel contact lenses for clinical applications and the improvement of drug-loaded contact lenses in the future. Key words: molecular imprinting; drug release; cornea; contact lenses; drug-loaded contact lens; ophthalmology