Preface Free

Materials have a long history of use for treating conditions of the eye. The recognition of the need for a transparent material led to the implementation of glass as a contact lens material in the 1800s. The observation during World War II by surgeon Dr Harold Ridley that plastic material from the windscreen of fighter planes, when embedded in the eyes of pilots, did not cause a significant biological response directly led to the development of intraocular lenses. Building on these early discoveries and coupling them with a better understanding of the biological basis of ocular disease has led to a host of new materials and devices for treating vision loss and vision-threatening conditions which will be outlined in this book. Contact lens materials with greater oxygen permeability and greater comfort have improved outcomes. Extending the potential of contact lenses to deliver drugs and treat other conditions will ultimately lead to better outcomes. Intraocular lens materials have developed significantly from those first implanted lenses; surgeries are now minimally invasive and outcomes are excellent. As a result, cataract surgery has become the most common surgical procedure in the world. Still, side effects and complications can remain and new materials are explored. The potential of polymeric materials to change the paradigms of ocular drug delivery, replacing eyedrops and intraocular injections, will lead to new and better treatments. Materials to support the regeneration of tissues in and surrounding the eye will potentially provide biologically active vision restoration. Combining materials with electronics has the potential to restore vision in patients whose retinas have been damaged. Next-generation ocular materials aim for long-term treatments that better improve patient outcomes.

Laura Wells and Heather Sheardown