April 2011
Volume 52, Issue 14
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   April 2011
An Antifungal Contact Lens
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • Joseph B. Ciolino
    Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts
    Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
  • Sarah Hudson
    Chemical Engineering,
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
    Materials and Surface Science Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
  • Ashley N. Mobbs
    Chemical Engineering,
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
  • Todd R. Hoare
    Chemical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  • Gerald R. Fink
    Whitehead Institute,
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
  • Naomi Iwata
    Chemical Engineering,
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
  • Daniel S. Kohane
    Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships  Joseph B. Ciolino, Inventor (P); Sarah Hudson, None; Ashley N. Mobbs, None; Todd R. Hoare, Inventor (P); Gerald R. Fink, None; Naomi Iwata, None; Daniel S. Kohane, Inventor (P)
  • Footnotes
    Support  NEI 1K08EY019686-01 (JBC), NIGMS GM073626 (DSK), MCOIF-CT2007-040150 (SPH), NSERC PDF Fellowship (TRH), GM035010 (GRF), GM40266 (GRF), CIMIT / J&J Young Investigator Award (DSK)
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science April 2011, Vol.52, 6545. doi:
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    • Get Citation

      Joseph B. Ciolino, Sarah Hudson, Ashley N. Mobbs, Todd R. Hoare, Gerald R. Fink, Naomi Iwata, Daniel S. Kohane; An Antifungal Contact Lens. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2011;52(14):6545.

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      © ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)

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Abstract
 
Purpose:
 

To design a contact lens to treat and prevent fungal ocular infections.

 
Methods:
 

Curved contact lenses were created by encapsulating econazole-impregnated PLGA (poly[lactic-co-glycolic acid]) films in pHEMA (poly[hydroxyethyl methacrylate]) using ultraviolet photopolymerization. Release studies were conducted in phosphate buffered saline at 37°C with continuous shaking. The contact lenses and their release media were tested in an antifungal assay against Candida albicans. Cross-sections of the pre-release and post-release contact lenses were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and by Raman spectroscopy.

 
Results:
 

Econazole-eluting contact lenses provided extended antifungal activity (over 3 weeks) against Candida albicans fungi. Fungicidal activity varied in duration and effectiveness depending on the mass of the econazole-PLGA film encapsulated in the contact lens (Figure 1).

 
Conclusions:
 

An econazole eluting contact lens could potentially be used as a treatment for fungal ocular infections.  

 
Keywords: contact lens • fungal disease • antibiotics/antifungals/antiparasitics 
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