Abstract:
Therapeutic contact lenses (TCLs) are often used in the management of a wide variety of
corneal and ocular fungal diseases. Indications of TCL include pain relief, enhancing
corneal healing, corneal sealing, corneal protection, and drug delivery. The polymeric
support that constitutes the contact lens is loaded with the drug; in this way, there is a
direct and effective pharmacological action on the target organ, promoting a prolonged
release of the active principle. To improve the therapeutic performance of drug-loaded
contact lenses, using a preparation of Niosomes aiming to elongate drug release of
Fluconazole. The incorporation of optimum formula into contact lenses can be performed
by different method and the most employed nowadays is soaking method. Eight formulae
of fluconazole loaded niosome was prepared and the optimum formula was chosen by
Using design expert version-13 full factorial design (two-level three factors) for
optimization of the fluconazole noisome-loaded contact lenses. The three critical
variables selected was the concentration of fluconazole (X1), the method of preparation
(X2) and the span to cholesterol ratio (X3). The niosomal preparation was characterized
for differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), percent entrapment efficiency (EE), zeta
potential (ZP), Fourier- transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction,
transition electron microscopy (TEM), drug release, particle size (PS), antifungal
activity and cytotoxicity. Formulation 2 formulation composed of (40mg fluconazole,
40mg span and 20 mg cholesterol) with particle size of 228.2nm, PDI of 0.414, zeta
potential of -34.3 and EE% of 58.4% was the optimum formula and showed a 79.62%
release of fluconazole in 72hrs. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed
stability of fluconazole with excipients and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)
showed the thermal stability of fluconazole in the developed formula. Therapeutic contact
lens is proposed to treat ocular diseases by loading of drug on it for prolonged drug
release and contact time the expected outcome from this research is a topical ocular
formulation of fluconazole preparation to avoid the drawbacks accompanying oral
