New contact lenses for delivering drugs 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-11042863 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on new contact lenses that can deliver medicine right to the back of your eye, making it easier and safer to treat conditions like age-related macular degeneration without the need for painful injections.
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 | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $468,554 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY034477-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11042863 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals suffering from age-related macular degeneration or other retinal diseases who require ongoing treatment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions that do not affect the back of the eye or those who are not suitable for contact lens use may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing innovative contact lenses that can deliver medications directly to the back of the eye, which is crucial for treating retinal diseases. Traditional treatments often require invasive injections that can lead to complications, while topical eye drops are ineffective due to low drug absorption. The study aims to enhance drug delivery through contact lenses by exploring the mechanisms involved and creating predictive models for their effectiveness. By improving the way drugs are administered, this research seeks to provide a safer and more effective treatment option for patients with age-related macular degeneration and other retinal conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce the need for invasive injections and improve treatment outcomes for patients with retinal diseases.
How similar studies have gone: While there has been some success in using contact lenses for anterior segment diseases, the approach for back of the eye delivery is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.
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.