Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41538072›Full record

ReviewBiomedical microdevices2026

Advances in microneedle Technology for Treatment of retinal degenerative diseases: a narrative review.

Yuan Zong, Jiangman Liu, Mingming Yang, Jing Zhang, Yaru Zou, Zizhen Ye, Jiaxin Deng, Wendong Gu, Jingheng Du, Kyoko Ohno-Matsui and 1 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Biomedical microdevices, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Yuan ZongDepartment of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Torch Development Zone People's Hospital, Zhongshan, 528436, China.
Jiangman LiuInternational Ocular Surface Research Center, Institute of Ophthalmology, and Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Jinan University Medical School, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
Mingming YangDepartment of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Science Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.
Jing ZhangDepartment of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Science Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.
Yaru ZouDepartment of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Science Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.
Zizhen YeDepartment of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Science Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.
Jiaxin DengDepartment of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Science Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.
Wendong GuDepartment of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Science Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.
Jingheng DuInternational Ocular Surface Research Center, Institute of Ophthalmology, and Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Jinan University Medical School, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
Kyoko Ohno-MatsuiDepartment of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Science Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.
Koju KamoiDepartment of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Science Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan. koju.oph@tmd.ac.jp.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Retinal degenerative diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR), present significant therapeutic challenges due to the complex anatomical and physiological barriers of the posterior eye. Conventional drug delivery methods, particularly intravitreal injections, are often limited by their invasiveness, rapid drug clearance, and burden on patient compliance. Microneedle technology has emerged as a paradigm-modifying approach for ocular drug delivery, offering a minimally invasive platform to bypass barriers like the blood-retinal barrier while targeting specific ocular tissues. This narrative review provides a critical overview of the latest advancements in microneedle technology for treating retinal degeneration, evaluating diverse configurations-including solid, hollow, dissolvable, coated, and hydrogel-forming designs-and their efficacy in facilitating suprachoroidal, intravitreal, and subretinal administration. Recent clinical trials highlighted in this review demonstrate promising results regarding safety, delivery efficiency, and patient acceptability. However, the translation from bench to bedside still faces hurdles in scale-up production, regulatory standardization, and long-term stability assessment. We discuss these technological challenges and explore future developments, such as the integration of smart materials and personalized approaches, emphasizing the potential of microneedle systems to revolutionize treatment paradigms through precise, controlled delivery to the posterior eye segments.

Indexed as

NeedlesRetinal DegenerationAnimalsHumansMicroneedle Drug DeliveryAMDDiabetic retinopathyDrug deliveryMicroneedlesOcular therapeuticsRetinal degenerationSuprachoroidal injection

Identifiers

PMID41538072
PMCPMC12808261

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.