Photo-Ablation of Human Vitreous Opacities by Light-Induced Vapor Nanobubbles

Photo-Ablation of Human Vitreous Opacities by Light-Induced Vapor Nanobubbles

Félix Sauvage1, Juan C. Fraire1, Katrien Remaut1, J. Sebag2,3, Karen Peynshaert1, Michael Harrington4, Frans J. Van de Velde5, Ranhua Xiong1, Marie-José Tassignon6, Toon Brans1, Kevin Braeckmans1 and Stefaan C. De Smedt1*

1Lab. General Biochemistry & Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, Ghent, Belgium

2VMR Institute for Vitreous Macula Retina, Huntington Beach, CA, USA

3Doheny Eye Institute /UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA

4Huntington Medical Research Institutes, Pasadena, CA, USA

5Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

*Corresponding author: Stefaan.desmedt@ugent.be

Abstract

Myopia, diabetes and aging are the main causes of progressive vitreous collagen aggregation, resulting in vitreous opacities which can significantly disturb vision. As vitreous opacities, which induce the visual phenomenon of ‘floaters’, are accessible with nanomaterials and light, we propose a nanotechnology-based approach to locally ablate them with highly reduced light energy compared to the more traditional YAG laser therapy. Our strategy relies on the plasmon properties of gold nanoparticles that generate vapor nanobubbles upon pulsed-laser illumination whose mechanical force can ablate vitreous opacities. We designed gold nanoparticles coated with hyaluronic acid which have excellent diffusional mobility in human vitreous, an essential requirement to reach the vitreous opacities. In addition, we found that HA-coated gold nanoparticles can accumulate extensively on human vitreous opacities which were obtained by vitrectomy from patients with vision degrading myodesopsia. When subsequently applying