Are nanotechnology and robotics alternatives for therapeutic and theragnostic ophthalmic applications technologies for eye care services 

Abstract

Objective: To identify new technological advances in biotechnology, nanotechnology and robotics and their application in diagnosis and therapeutics for visual health. Methodology: The systematic review was made in Journal of Engineering, Journal of Biomedical Nanotechnology, NIH Public Access, Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Intechweb open access journal and books, among others for a total review of 43 articles and 6 books. The databases used were: NLM Catalogue, (NCBI), Scirus, CiteSeer and open access (Intechopen, Hindawi) with the advances in nanotechnology, artificial vision and robotics applied to visual health. Results: Retina implants, ocular memristors, ocular electrodes and chips, digital cameras and smart phone applications for low vision patients are some of the new alternatives in technology for the diagnosis based on biotechnology and nanotechnology and on the several years of job of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary researchers of different fields to make innovation useful for visual impairment, ocular microbiology and molecular immunodiagnostics. The FDA recently approved the retina implants and this opened a new field to allow converting light signals into electrical signals. On the other hand, in the field of pharmacology, ocular nano-carrier molecules for sustained release of drugs and other devices to vitrectomies are some of the significant health advance studies for the future in visual health. Additionally, in the field of contact lenses and artificial corneas: biopolymers for biosensors have been developed for early detection of keratoconus and systemic diseases. Conclusions: Nanotechnology, biotechnology, robotics and bio-molecular biology are emerging and convergent sciences that when applied to visual sciences will be helpful for the patients, and are an increase in papers on innovation of this field, involving a multidisciplinary team requiring new divulgation in the role and performance of the visual health professionals of the future. To know and divulgate these new technologies is important for continued joint efforts around global education, and to create a database with new keywords, in order to know who and where these innovations are improving around the world, to planning researcher mobility and to include these new valuable technologies in the curriculum of visual health and get the patient safe.