Antimicrobial Biomaterials and Their Potential Application in Ophthalmology

• Published in: Journal of applied biomaterials & functional materials 2015-12, Vol.13 (4), p.346-350
• Main Authors: Anaya-Alaminos, Roberto, Ibáñez-Flores, Nuria, Aznar-Peña, Irene, González-Andrades, Miguel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anti-Infective Agents - chemistry; Anti-Infective Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Infective Agents - therapeutic use; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides - chemistry; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides - pharmacology; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides - therapeutic use; Bacteria - drug effects; Biocompatible Materials - chemistry; Biocompatible Materials - pharmacology; Biocompatible Materials - therapeutic use; Biopolymers - chemistry; Biopolymers - therapeutic use; Eye Diseases - drug therapy; Eye Diseases - pathology; Eye Diseases - surgery; Humans; Metals - chemistry; Metals - pharmacology; Prostheses and Implants - adverse effects; Surgical Wound Infection - etiology; Surgical Wound Infection - prevention & control
• ISSN: 2280-8000; 2280-8000
• DOI: 10.5301/jabfm.5000253

Infections associated with the use of intraocular, periocular, or orbital implants are associated with an increase in both morbidity and in the costs of ophthalmological surgery. This is due to an increased number of visits and the need for additional treatments, at a time when some conventional therapies are losing their efficacy, or even hospitalization. To avoid such consequences, the first step should be to prevent the biomaterials that form implants from being colonized by various microorganisms, either intraoperatively or postoperatively. To this end, several lines of research have emerged that aim at equipping implants with antimicrobial properties, some of which are described in this review.