Biomaterials and advanced polymers change the face of anterior segment surgery

Recent advances in fields such as tissue engineering, advanced biomaterials and injectable polymers promise to alter the face of anterior segment surgery radically in coming years, according to an international panel of vision scientists. A clinical research symposium devoted to the theme of “New biomaterials and drug delivery in anterior segment surgery” enabled delegates attending the XXIII Congress of the ESCRS to catch up on the technological advances in biomaterials and drug delivery systems that promise a paradigm shift in treatment modalities in the near future. Opening the session with a look at the role of biodegradable biomaterials in ophthalmology and ocular drug delivery, Hannu Uusitalo MD, professor and chairman, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Kuopio, Finland, reminded delegates that biomaterials, whether non-degradable such as intraocular lenses, or biodegradable such as viscoelastics, are already widely used by ophthalmologists.