OCULAR DRUG-DELIVERY IN VETERINARY-MEDICINE

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the various approaches currently used in the development of ocular drug delivery systems for the treatment of ocular diseases in animals. It is obvious from the l iterature that most of the products that are currently available are d erived from human medicine without consideration given to the differen ces which exist between the anatomy and physiology of the eye of vario us animal species which ultimately affect product design and performan ce. As a result, many of the products for animal use seem in many circ umstances inappropriate for animal care. The article deals with some a spects of eye anatomy and physiology of different animals, and then pr ovides an overview of the most commonly encountered pathologies. The p aper then discusses the currently available drug products and finally reviews new delivery concepts. Several hundred references are included in the paper and provide access to further information on the subject . (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.