Topical Ocular Delivery Methods and Devices for Use in the Same
Methods of administering a liquid formulation of an ophthalmic agent to a topical ocular location of an eye are provided. Aspects of the methods include delivering to the topical ocular location a dose of the liquid formulation that can be wholly accommodated by the tear film of the eye. Devices and kits for practicing the methods are also provided. The methods, compositions and kits find use in a variety of applications, including therapeutic, diagnostic and cosmetic applications.
1 . A method of treating a subject for myopia, the method comprising:
administering to a topical ocular location of the subject a micro-dose of a precise, known mass of an anti-cholinergic agent effective to treat the subject for myopia,
wherein the micro-dose is administered by a handheld device that comprises:
a container comprising a liquid formulation of the anti-cholinergic agent and a single aperture; and
an actuator configured to emit the micro-dose from the container through the single aperture.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-dose has a volume ranging from 1 to 15 μl.
3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the micro-dose has a volume ranging from 3 to 10 μl.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the anti-cholinergic agent is a long acting anti-cholinergic agent.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the anti-cholinergic agent is a short acting anti-cholinergic agent.
6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the anti-cholinergic agent is atropine.
7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the anti-cholinergic agent is the sole active agent in the micro-dose.
8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the precise, known mass of anti-cholinergic agent delivered to the topical ocular location has a mass equal to the administered volume times the concentration of anti-cholinergic agent in the liquid formulation of the micro-dose.
9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the precise, known mass of anti-cholinergic agent delivered to the topical ocular location is determined from pulse duration and active agent concentration in the liquid formulation.
10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-dose is administered as a collimated stream of the liquid formulation.
11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the collimated stream is continuous.
12 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the collimated stream is discontinuous.
13 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-dose is administered as a series of streams.
14 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-dose is administered as a plurality of droplets.
15 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-dose is self-administered.
16 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a volume of the liquid formulation sufficient to provide multiple micro-doses.
17 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid formulation is preservative-free.
18 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the device comprises an image-based alignment system configured to enable self-alignment by the user of the aperture with the target location.
19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the subject employs the image-based alignment system to align the aperture with the target location.