Scientists at the University of Toronto are developing a groundbreaking treatment that could replace the need for daily eye drops for glaucoma patients with a single injection under the eyelid. This innovation has the potential to make managing the disease easier and more effective, particularly for older adults who struggle with frequent eye drop applications.
A research team led by Professor Molly Shoichet has modified a common glaucoma drug using a new delivery method that extends its effects from just six hours (as with eye drops) to up to seven weeks with a single injection. Their findings were recently published in Advanced Materials.
Why Is This Important?
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that cause increased pressure in the eye, leading to optic nerve damage and, if left untreated, blindness. While there is no cure, existing treatments aim to slow the disease’s progression. The most common treatment is daily eye drops, but many patients struggle to apply them correctly or forget to take them consistently.
“Eye drops require precise, scheduled applications, which can be difficult, especially for older adults,” said Mickaël Dang, a postdoctoral researcher and lead author of the study. “There are also laser and surgical treatments available, but these involve injections inside the eye, which carry risks like infection, inflammation, or vision loss.”
This new injection-based method offers a safer, longer-lasting alternative.
How It Works
The researchers used colloidal drug aggregates (CDAs)—tiny drug particles that self-assemble into nano-scale structures. These CDAs were used to modify timolol, a common glaucoma drug, turning it into a slow-release prodrug (a medication that becomes active once inside the body). The drug was then mixed with a hydrogel and injected into the subconjunctival space, a region under the eyelid.
This approach achieved a 200-fold increase in effectiveness compared to traditional methods, as the hydrogel helped the drug stay in place and release slowly over time. In contrast, without the hydrogel, the drug mostly leaked out, reducing its effectiveness.
A Step Closer to Clinical Use
The research team collaborated with Dr. Jeremy Sivak, a glaucoma specialist at the Krembil Research Institute, to test this method in preclinical models. Encouraged by their success, they are now working on refining the formulation to prepare it for human clinical trials.
“We imagine a future where patients could receive this simple injection in a doctor’s office once every month or two instead of dealing with daily eye drops,” said Dang, who is also involved with Synakis, a biotechnology company founded to advance this research.
While there is still work to be done, including improving the stability and large-scale production of the formulation, the team is optimistic about bringing this innovation to the clinic.
“This hydrogel was originally designed for vitreoretinal surgery, but we’ve now demonstrated its versatility for delivering small-molecule drugs,” Shoichet explained. “Our focus now is to refine the technology and secure funding to move it forward.”
If successful, this treatment could revolutionize glaucoma management, making life easier for millions of patients while improving long-term eye health outcomes.
If you care about eye health, please read studies about how vitamin B may help fight vision loss, and MIND diet may reduce risk of vision loss disease.
For more information about eye disease, please see recent studies about how to protect your eyes from glaucoma, and results showing this eye surgery may reduce dementia risk.
The research findings can be found in Advanced Materials.
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