Contact lenses that deliver medicine to the back of the eye
Official title: Back of the eye drug delivery: Novel contact lenses, pathways, and in-silico modeling
Funded at Colorado School of Mines · NIH-11287896 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Special contact lenses are being developed to slowly deliver medicines to people with retinal diseases like age-related macular degeneration.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Colorado School of Mines NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Golden, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $468,554 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY034477-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11287896 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with retinal disorders treated by repeated injections—such as age-related macular degeneration—who can comfortably wear contact lenses may be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who cannot wear contact lenses due to corneal disease, severe dry eye, or those needing immediate high-dose injections may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
This project aims to move medicine from the surface of the eye to the retina using specially designed contact lenses so patients may need fewer injections. Researchers will study how drugs travel from lenses into the back of the eye, compare lens delivery with eye drops, and test sustained-release lens designs. Work will include laboratory experiments, animal models, and computer (in-silico) models to predict delivery pathways and dosing. The team is also designing lenses capable of carrying larger biologic medicines and already has preliminary data showing feasibility.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the lenses could reduce or replace frequent intravitreal injections, lowering infection and complication risks and improving treatment consistency.
How similar studies have gone: Contact-lens delivery has worked for front-of-eye problems and early lab results support back-of-eye delivery, but clinical success for retinal diseases is not yet established.
Where this research is happening
-
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chauhan, Anuj — Colorado School of Mines
- Study coordinator: Chauhan, Anuj
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.