Biomaterials used in the posterior segment of the eye

The treatment of posterior segment eye disease and related conditions has i mproved greatly in recent years with the advent of new therapies, materials and devices. Vitreoretinal conditions, however, remain significant causes of blindness in the developed world. Biomaterials play a major role in the treatment of many of these disorders and the success rate of vitreoretinal surgery, especially in the repair of retinal detachment and related conditi ons, would increase with the introduction of new and improved materials. Th is review, which focuses on disorders that feature retinal detachment, brie fly describes the anatomy of the eye and the nature and treatment of poster ior segment eye disorders. The roles, required properties and suitability o f the materials used in vitreoretinal surgery as scleral buckles, tamponade agents or drug delivery devices, are reviewed. Experimental approaches are discussed, along with the methods used for their evaluation, and future di rections for biomaterial research in the posterior segment of the eye are c onsidered. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.