Chinese scientists develop smart contact lens that monitors eye pressure and treats glaucoma
- Team from Sun Yat-sen University say new device is compatible with existing mass-production processes, but more research is needed before clinical trial stage
- The number of people with glaucoma is projected to rise from 76 million in 2020 to 95 million in 2030, according to WHO report
The team from Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou said the device could be used to monitor and regulate eye pressure before glaucoma surgery and as a bandage after the procedure without blocking vision.
“The minimally invasive, smart, wireless and theranostic [therapeutic-diagnostic] features endow the wireless theranostic contact lens as a highly promising system for glaucoma treatments,” the researchers wrote in an article published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications on Tuesday.
The team said the tests found the device sensitive and reliable when monitoring and regulating pressure in live rabbits and the eyeballs of pigs, which were similar to human eyes.
Glaucoma is an eye condition in which the optic nerve that carries information from the eyes to the brain becomes damaged. It is often caused by the abnormal circulation of fluid within the eye which increases intraocular pressure, and can result in impaired vision and blindness.