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Project "Application of nanoparticle eye drops - Polish-Icelandic knowledge exchange". co-financed by the Bilateral Cooperation Fund of the EEA Financial Mechanism and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism, under the PL07 Programme Improvement and better adaptation of health care to demographic and epidemiological trends. The Programme Operator was the Minister of Health. The project was implemented in partnership with an Icelandic institution, the University of Iceland in Reykjavik, represented by Professor Einar Stefansson.
This is a Polish-Icelandic initiative of ophthalmologists, implemented in 2017. The main premise of the project was the transfer of knowledge and experience between the scientific output of ophthalmologists and scientists working on the topic of nanoparticle eye drops from Iceland and specialists from Poland, who are looking for modern preparations used in the treatment of eye diseases.
Activities:
Nanoparticle drops can be used in the treatment of various types of inflammation, eye infections and retinal diseases, e.g. 1. AMD - age-related retinal degeneration, which involves changes in the central part of the retina responsible for sharp and precise vision; the disease occurs in people over 60 years of age, 2. diabetic retinopathy - an eye disease, which is a complication of diabetes - (a disease of civilisation, affects 2% the entire Polish population), which affects diabetics over 15-20 years of age, so older people. The elderly are predominantly in the risk group for the diseases mentioned above, so the use of nanoparticle eye drops may have an impact on improving treatment among the elderly. The use of nanoparticle drops will reduce the current use of drugs, including the use of invasive forms of medication such as injections into the eye and the administration of drugs orally and intravenously. Currently, treatment of the elderly faces a number of physical barriers: problem with dropping medication e.g. due to hand tremor, arthritis, increasing dementia problems, vision problems leading to reduced ability to read medication labels. Nanoparticle eye drops are an innovative form of drug application in ophthalmology that increases the effectiveness and reduces the invasiveness of treatment. Icelandic ophthalmologists are working to further develop the use of nanoparticle drops, which could revolutionise the treatment of eye diseases worldwide. Their use will then condition the correct treatment process for the patient and thus a faster recovery. The statements described above are an added value in relation to the project's objective, as the situation of chronically ill and dependent people and the elderly will improve as a result of the project.
The project is the result of cooperation between the partners, established during a project carried out in 2015 and 2016 entitled 'Diabetic retinopathy - Polish-Icelandic debate among ophthalmologists', which was also subsidised by the FWD. The project concluded with a number of substantive findings, an international debate was held and a scientific publication was produced.
Project "Application of nanoparticle eye drops - Polish-Icelandic knowledge transfer". The project was co-financed by the EEA and the Norway Grants, under the PL07 Programme "Better adaptation of health care in order to meet needs of the fast-growing population of chronically-ill and dependent as well as elderly people". The programme was administered by the Minister of Health. The Icelandic University represented by Prof. Einer Stefansson is the project's partner.
The project lasted from 01.03.2017 till 31.10.2017. Main goal of the project is knowledge, technology, experience and best practices transfer between Polish and Icelandic ophthalmologists that seek the modern possibilities to treat patients.
Activities:
The motivation to start the project has been the problem of treating elderly people suffering from eye diseases. The most common examples of age-related eye diseases are: infections, macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy. To cure these diseases patients must apply eye drops many times a day or have numerous injections. The idea of Icelandic ophthalmologists is to use nanoparticle eye drops in treatment to make it easier for elderly people.
