Hydrogel Contact Lenses Embedded with Amine-Functionalized Large-Pore Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles with Extended Hyaluronic Acid Release

Abstract

Contact lenses (CLs) have emerged as an effective method for delivering ophthalmic drugs. In this research, we designed hydrogel CLs capable of extended release, utilizing large-pore mesoporous silica nanoparticles (LPMSNs) to deliver hyaluronic acid (HA) for treating dry eye syndrome. LPMSNs were functionalized with amine groups (LPMSN–amine) to enhance HA loading and release capacity. In vitro release studies demonstrated that LPMSN–amine CLs exhibited superior slower HA release than LPMSN–siloxane and standard CLs. Within 120 h, the cumulative amount of HA released from LPMSN–amine CLs reached approximately 275.58 µg, marking a 12.6-fold improvement compared to standard CLs, when loaded from 0.1 wt% HA solutions. Furthermore, LPMSN–amine CLs effectively maintained moisture, mitigating ocular surface dehydration, making them a promising solution for dry eye management. This study successfully developed LPMSN–amine CLs for extended HA release, identifying the optimal functional groups and loading conditions to achieve sustained release.