Recent developments of temperature-responsive polymers for ophthalmic applications

Blindness is one of the most feared disabilities. From cataracts and glaucoma to age-related macular degeneration and retinal vascular diseases, ocular diseases have adverse impacts on patients and pose a huge burden to the healthcare system. The World Health Organization estimates that out of 2.2 billion people with visual impairment, almost half of the cases can be prevented or has yet to be addressed. This presents an urgent clinical and societal need to be met. Temperature-sensitive hydrogels are one of the most biocompatible materials, which can be applied into the eye. By exploiting physiological temperature as a stimulus for in situ gel formation, control of the mechanical properties, rate of drug release, and biomechanical interactions can be tuned. They are very versatile and have immense potential in ocular applications by acting as vitreous substitutes in retinal surgery or topical eye drops and lenses for ocular discomfort and inflammation. In this article, we provide a review of the recent developments in temperature-responsive polymers in ophthalmic therapy in the past 5 years including retinal detachment, retinal vascular diseases, dry eyes, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma.