IIT Madras Researchers Develop Improved Drug Delivery Technique for Eye Treatments

CHENNAI: Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) have demonstrated an innovative method to enhance drug delivery in the human eye using convection induced by mild laser heating. Through simulation and modeling studies, they analyzed the effects of heat and mass transfer to improve treatment efficacy for various eye conditions.

With around 11 million people in India affected by retinal disorders, this groundbreaking indigenous research offers new hope for the development of laser-based therapies for retinal diseases, such as retinal tears, diabetic retinopathy, macular edema, and retinal vein occlusion. Due to the sensitive nature of the retina, which contains vital nerves and blood vessels, these treatments must be executed with precision.

The research, initiated nearly a decade ago by Prof. Arunn Narasimhan from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at IIT Madras, in collaboration with Dr. Lingam Gopal from Shankar Nethralaya, marks India's first biothermal research on the effects of laser irradiation on the retina. The team conducted both computer simulations and experiments focusing on bio-heat and mass transfer in eye treatments.

In their recent study, Prof. Narasimhan, along with IIT Madras graduate student Mr. Shirinvas Vibuthe, used a glass eye model to demonstrate that heat-induced convection significantly speeds up the time it takes for drugs injected into the vitreous region to reach the retina. Their findings, published in the Wiley Heat Transfer journal and featured in the Special ICCHMT Conference Proceedings, indicate that targeted heating reduces drug delivery time from 12 hours to just 12 minutes, without causing tissue damage.

Prof. Narasimhan emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary research, combining engineering and biology to address critical societal health challenges. While practical and ethical concerns limit experimentation on live human organs, the researchers employed glass-eye experiments and bioheat simulations to analyze invasive treatments.

Looking ahead, Prof. Narasimhan called for the medical community to advance this research for real-world application in treating retinal diseases. This pioneering work, presented at the ICCHMT 2023 conference in Germany by Mr. Vibuthe, could significantly enhance post-surgical drug delivery to the retina, offering new therapeutic possibilities for retinal conditions.