الفهرس 
INTRODUCTION
Applications of NanotechnologyOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Nanotechnology is defined as research and technology development at the atomic, molecular scale, leading to controlled creation and use of structures, devices and systems with a length scale of 1 to 100 nanometers (nm). Applications of nanotechnology for medical purposes have been referred to as ”nanomedicine” by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Nano-ophthalmology can be applied to early diagnosis of ophthalmic diseases and treatment of retinal degenerative diseases either by highly efficient delivery of therapeutic molecules which retard the damage processes via targeted drug delivery, or by the replacement of the function of degenerated photoreceptors via tissue engineering, or by artificial means which provide a way to stimulate remaining inner retinal layers thus bypassing the damaged photoreceptors. Nanotechnology provides newer generations of drug delivery systems which have significant advantages over the conventionally available drug delivery systems. In context of retinal disease treatment, nanotechnology provides targeted drug delivery systems in the form of liposome, polymeric nanoparticles, nanostructured silicon and Encapsulated Cell Technology (ECT) via NT-501 implant. Tissue Engineering is the use of naturally occurring and/or synthetic materials in conjunction with cells to create biologic substitutes to serve as functional tissue replacements. Nanotechnology provides a new generation of biocompatible nanomaterials for repairing and replacing human tissues. In case of retinal tissue engineering, replacement can best occur when living cells are transplanted in a mesh-structured three dimensional scaffold. The replacement of damaged retinal cells using retinal progenitor cells delivered on polymer scaffold and transplanted into the subretinal space is a promising therapeutic strategy. Artificial vision is another biomedical application of nanotechnology. Researchers hope to design retinal implants for vision impaired individuals. The concept is to implant chips with photo-detector arrays to transmit signals from the retina to the brain via the optic nerve. Other applications of nano-ophthalmology include enhancing the efficiency of gene delivery to the eye in the treatment of various ocular diseases, the ability to restore vision by the nanoparticle-based artificial retina, and using a biodegredable implants in glucoma.