IIT Madras researchers enhance drug delivery for eye treatments

chennai: researchers at iit madras have discovered an improved method for delivering drugs to the retina using mild laser heating, which speeds up the process. led by prof. arunn narasimhan from the department of mechanical engineering, the team used simulation and modelling studies to understand heat and mass transfer in the eye.the research, which has significant implications for treating retinal diseases like diabetic retinopathy and macular oedema, was done in collaboration with dr. lingam gopal of shankar nethralaya. the study showed that mild laser-induced convection reduces the time for drugs injected into the vitreous region to reach the retina from several hours to just 12 minutes.this breakthrough offers a promising solution for the 11 million indians suffering from retinal disorders. the researchers used a glass eye mimic to test the effects, ensuring that the heating did not damage eye tissues.the findings were published in the wiley heat transfer journal, and further studies have been presented at international conferences. prof. narasimhan emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary research in addressing medical challenges. the work highlights the potential for laser-based treatments to revolutionize eye care.