DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CORNEAL DELIVERY OF RIBOFLAVIN BY IONTOPHORESIS FOR THE TREATMENT OF KERATOCONUS

摘要

Ocular iontophoresis device and method for delivering any ionized drug solution to the cornea includes: a reservoir containing a solution suitable to be positioned on the eye; an active electrode disposed in or on the reservoir; and a passive electrode suitable to be placed on the skin of the subject, elsewhere on the body; elements for irradiating the cornea surface with suitable light for obtaining corneal cross-linking after the drug delivery; wherein the reservoir and the active electrode are transparent to UV light and/or visible light and/or IR light. The method includes: positioning the iontophoretic device on the eye to be treated; driving the solution by a cathodic current applied for 0.5 to 5 min, at an intensity not higher than 2 mA; and thereafter irradiating, with UV light for 5 to 30 min at a power of 3 to 30 mW/cm2; thereby obtaining the corneal cross-linking of the solution.