Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of central vision loss in the developed world. Wet AMD can be managed through serial intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents. However, sometimes the treatment is ineffective. Given that the half-life of the drug is limited, inefficient mixing of the injected drug in the vitreous chamber of the eye may contribute to the ineffectiveness. Here, we introduce thermal heating as a means of enhancing the mixing-process in the vitreous chamber and investigate parameters that potentially influence its effectiveness. Our in vitro studies reveal the importance of the heating location on the eye. A significant increase in the mixing and delivery of drugs to the targeted area (the macula) could be achieved by placing heating pads to induce a current, against gravity, in the vitreous. The presented results can potentially help in the development of a better strategy for intravitreal injection, subsequently improving the quality of patient care.

年龄相关性黄斑变性 (AMD) 是发达国家中心视力丧失的主要原因。湿性 AMD 可以通过连续玻璃体内注射抗血管内皮生长因子（抗 VEGF）药物来控制。然而，有时治疗无效。鉴于药物的半衰期有限，注射药物在眼睛玻璃体腔中的低效混合可能导致无效。在这里，我们引入热加热作为增强玻璃体腔混合过程的一种手段，并研究可能影响其有效性的参数。我们的体外研究揭示了加热位置对眼睛的重要性。通过放置加热垫以感应电流，可以显着增加药物向目标区域（黄斑）的混合和输送，对抗重力，在玻璃体内。所呈现的结果可能有助于制定更好的玻璃体内注射策略，从而提高患者护理质量。