15/09/2025
ROUTES OF DRUGS ADMINISTRATION šļøš
Ocular Routes of Drug Administration describe the different ways medications can be delivered to the eye for either local or systemic effects.
The most common route is the TOPICAL ROUTE, which involves the use of eye drops, ointments, gels, suspensions, or emulsions. This method is simple, non-invasive, and effective for conditions such as conjunctivitis, keratitis, glaucoma, dry eye, and allergies. However, topical administration is limited by poor corneal pe*******on, a short contact time, and the need for frequent dosing.
Another route is the PERIOCULAR ROUTE, which delivers drugs around the eye to target intraocular tissues. This includes subconjunctival injections placed under the conjunctiva, sub-Tenonās injections beneath Tenonās capsule, retrobulbar injections behind the eyeball, and peribulbar injections around the eyeball. These are especially useful for anesthesia and the treatment of severe infections.
Drugs can also be given directly inside the eye through INTRAOCULAR ROUTES. Intracameral injections deliver medication into the anterior chamber during cataract surgery, intravitreal injections place drugs in the vitreous cavity for conditions like age-related macular degeneration or intraocular infections, and intrastromal injections target the corneal stroma for resistant cases of fungal keratitis.
SYSTEMIC ROUTES such as oral or intravenous administration are also important, particularly in managing infections like toxoplasmosis, inflammatory conditions such as uveitis, or systemic diseases with ocular manifestations.
In addition to these, newer methods such as OCULAR INSERTS & IMPLANTS provide sustained drug release, iontophoresis uses a mild electrical current to enhance drug pe*******on, and even nasal absorption may play a role since ocular drugs can drain through the nasolacrimal duct into systemic circulation.
