Addressing ocular drug delivery challenges with solid nanofiber variants and supramolecular nanofibrous gel composite

Current ocular medication delivery technologies struggle with insufficient drug bioavailability. Drug nanocarriers with inherent bioadhesion and corneal retention abilities can improve it. Recent research literature evidence indicates that, as compared to conventional formulations, polymeric nanofibers can prove to be more effective in treating certain ocular disorders. In addition, significant experimental progress has been undertaken to make structural innovations to generate multifaceted nanofibers through the integration of nanoparticles, and mucoadhesive components to them. A completely different architectural form, i.e., supramolecular nanofibrous hydrogel and amphiphilic nanofibrous peptide, has recently gained interest in ocular drug delivery. These nanofiber structural variations claim to suit the needs of improved drug delivery through variable extended-release. Further, the biodegradable and biocompatible polymeric nanofibers emerged as promising candidates for ocular drug-delivery systems because of their safety and efficacy. Preliminary outcomes at the laboratory stage provide sufficient indications of clinical safety, efficacy, and patient compliance. Therefore, this review provides a comparative architectural evaluation of different polymeric nanofibers, assisting researchers in determining which nanofiber morphology is appropriate for a specific set of ocular illness conditions. Furthermore, depending on the applicability of each design, the kinetic efficiency in optimizing drug bioavailability is explored.