This study aimed to develop next-generation contact lens materials for drug delivery by systematically investigating the synthesis of a novel silicone monomer, surface modification processes, polysaccharide-based multilayer coatings, and ionic drug de...
This study aimed to develop next-generation contact lens materials for drug delivery by systematically investigating the synthesis of a novel silicone monomer, surface modification processes, polysaccharide-based multilayer coatings, and ionic drug delivery systems. A new silicone monomer, SiGMA-O, was synthesized to overcome the structural limitations of conventional silicone monomers, and silicone hydrogel contact lenses were fabricated using this monomer. The resulting lenses were evaluated for their physicochemical properties, including water content, oxygen permeability, refractive index, surface wettability, protein adsorption, and light transmittance. Compared with lenses prepared from commonly used silicone monomers, SiGMA-O–based lenses exhibited higher water content, improved oxygen permeability, and enhanced surface wettability while maintaining optical transparency.
To further improve drug delivery performance,oleic acid pretreatmentwas introduced to increase the loading capacity of the antibiotic gatifloxacin, followed by the construction ofmultilayer coatings composed of hyaluronic acid and chitosanvia a layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly process. The coated lenses exhibited a pronounced delay in drug release, and an increased number of coating layers led to higher water content and enhanced antimicrobial activity againstE. coli. These results indicate that the polysaccharide multilayer coatings effectively provide sustained drug release and prolonged antimicrobial efficacy while maintaining suitable physical properties for extended wear.
Furthermore, anionic diclofenac was used as a model drug to investigate ionic drug delivery behavior in polysaccharide-coated and drug–polysaccharide mixed systems. The results demonstrated that drug loading capacity and release kinetics were strongly dependent on both the coating architecture and the electrostatic characteristics of the drug molecules. Notably, the optimized coating structures achieved sustained release profilesandreduced protein adsorption, confirming the synergistic benefits of polysaccharide-based surface engineering.
In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the integration of a novel silicone monomer with polysaccharide-based multilayer coatings significantly enhances the physical stability, biocompatibility, and controlled drug release performance of silicone hydrogel contact lenses. The proposed design provides a promising platform for the development oftherapeutic contact lenses capable of precise and sustained ionic drug delivery.