Infectious keratitis of bacterial etiology often results in ulceration of the corneal surface or even blindness. Antibiotic eyedrops, the current mainstay  treatment, are easily washed from the surface by tears limiting their efficacy and also present the intrinsic limitation of emergence of antibiotic resistance. It has been shown that by carefully adjusting the size, shape, and capping agent of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) their citotoxicity can be limited. However, the applicability of such materials in clinical settings is hindered by the complex procedures and manufacturing protocols required. To overcome these limitations, we developed an approach that allows the surface grafting of pre-made collagen corneal implants by the in situ incorporation of anti-infective peptide-functionalized AgNPs.

Nanoengineering the surface of corneal implants

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