Examples of drug types on opthalmic drug delivery and its requirements. Based on the Hansel's Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms book.

2.  Have
additional requirements

6.  Anesthetics
– employed to provide pain
relief preoperatively, postoperatively, for
ophthalmic trauma and during ophthalmic
examinations.
 Examples: tetracaine, cocaine, proparacaine

8.  Antibiotic
and anti-microbial agents – used
systematically and locally to combat
ophthalmic infection.
 Examples: azithromycin, gentamicin sulfate,
sodium sulfacetamide, ciprofloxacin,
hydrochloride, ofloxacin, polymyxin Bbacitracin and tobramycin

10.  Antifungal
agents – agents used topically on
the eye against fungal endophtalmitis and
fungal keratitis
 Examples: amphotericin
B, natamycin, flucytosine

11.  Anti-inflammatory
agents – used to treat
inflammation of the eye, as allergic
conjunctivites.
 Examples:
fluoromethalone, prednisolone, and
dexamathasone salts.
 Examples of non-steroidal:
dicolfenac, flurbiprofen, keterolac and
suprofen.

13.  Anti-viral
agents – used against viral
infections that are caised by herpes simplex
virus.
 Examples: trifluridine, ganciclovir, vidarabine

15.  Astringents
– used in treatment of
conjunctivitis
 Examples: Zinc sulfate

16.  Beta
adrenergic blocking agents – used
topically on the eye in the treatment of
intraocular pressure and chronic open-angle
glaucoma
 Examples: betaloxolol HCl, levobunolol
HCl, metipranolol HCl, timolol maleate

18.  Miotic
and other glaucoma agents – used in
the treatment fo glaucoma, accomodative
esotropia, convergent strabismus, and for
local treatment of myasthenia gravis.
 Examples: pilocarpine, ecothiophate

20.  Mydriatics
and cycloplegics – allow the
examination of the fundus by dilating the
pupil. Mydriatics that have a long term of
dilating are called cycloplegics
 Examples:
atropine, scopalamin, phenylephrine, hydrox
yamphetamine, and tropicamide

22.  Protectants
and artificial tears – solutions
employed as artificial tears or as contact
lens fluids lubricate the eye
 Examples: carboxy methyl cellulose, polivinyl
alcohol

24.  Vasoconstrictors
and ocular decongestants –
applied topically to the mucuos membranes
of the eye cause transient constriction of the
conjunctival blood vessels. They are
intended to soothe, refresh, and remove
redness due to minor eye irritation.
 Examples: naphazoline, oxymetazoline and
tetrahydrazoline hydrochlorides.

27.  -must
be sterilized for safe use
Autoclaving(in final containers) at 121 Celsius
for 15 minutes is preferable but may cause
thermal instability.
So Bacterial Filters may be used.
To keep the steriliy during use, antimicrobial
preservatives are generally included in
opthalmic operations.

28.  Opthalmic
solutions should be isosmotic at
0.9% NaCl solution because 0.9% NaCl is the
corresponding osmotic pressure of the body
fluids including blood and tears.
 Hypertonic solutions may draw water from
the body tissues toward the solution and
may cause crenation(shrinking) of blood cells
 Hypotonic solutions may cause hemolysis of
blood cells or passage of water from the site
of an ophthalmic application throught the
tissues of the eye

29. For greater comfort to the eye
 Render the formulation more stable
 To enhance the aqueous solubility of the drug
 To enhance the bioavailability
 To maximize preservative efficacy


pH of normal tears are 7.4, but tears of contact
lens wearers are more acidic.

Desired solution is prepared from two stock
solutions, one containing 8g of monobasic
sodium phosphate per liter and the other
containing 9.47g of dibasic sodium phosphate per
liter.

30.  Viscosity
is a property of liquids related to
resistance to flow. Fluidity is the reciprocal
of viscosity.
 Thickening agents – methycellulose
 Used to increase ophthalmic solutions’
therapeutic effectiveness

31.  Ophthlamic
solutions must be sparkling clear
and free of all particulate matter for comfort
and safety.
 Drug particles in an ophthalmic suspension
must be finely subdivided, usually micronized
to minimize eye irritation and/or scratching
of the cornea. The suspended particles must
not associate into large particles upon
storage and must be easily and uniformly
redistributed by gentle shaking prior to use.
 If large particles/crystals form and is placed
on the eye, it may hurt like hell. Lol 

32.  Small
glass bottles with seperate glass or
plastic dropepers.
 Most are packaged in soft plastic containers
w/ a fixed built in dropper. This is preferred
both to facilitate administration and to
protect the product from external
contamination.
 Patients must be careful to protect
ophthalmic solutions or suspensions from
external contamination

33. -
wash hands thoroughly
 - inspect dropper to make sure it has no
chips or cracks (if applicable)
 - ophthalmic solutions should be inspected
for color and clarity. Suspensions should be
shakened prior to administration

34. To instill eyedrops:
 - patient should tilt head back with index finger
of the free hand gently pull downward the lower
eyelid of the affected eye to form a pocket or
cup.
 - while looking up and w/out touching the
dropper, prescribed number of the drops should
be instilled into the formed pocket.
 - lower eyelid should be released and the eye
closed to allow the medication to spread over
the eye. Eye should be held closed for 1 min.
w/out blinking rubbing or wiping.
 While eye is closed, gentle pressure should be
applied just under the inner corner of the eye to
compress the nasolacrimal duct to prevent
drainage.
 -excess liquid may be wiped with a tissue
