Although smart contact lenses might seem like something out of science fiction, researchers are still developing prototypes. Scientists are constantly working to develop technological advances that will improve the lives and quality of life for people with vision impairments. Here are some facts about smart contact lenses.
Current Technology
These contact lenses have been approved by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Cooper Vision Mi Sight contact lenses are designed to correct myopia (a condition where children have difficulty seeing far away objects) and slow down further development.
OrthoK contact lenses can be worn overnight to temporarily shape the cornea’s front surface and improve vision.
In response to sunlight, transition lenses automatically darken. The adaptive lenses are equipped with a photochromic filter, which adjusts to the light level in the environment to reduce glare. These lenses can protect your eyes from harmful blue light emitted electronically.
What technology are smart contact lenses going to use?
Smart contact lenses are still in development. The prototypes have shown various types of sensors, microelectronics and wireless transmissions. These components must be small enough to fit inside a contact lens without causing eye irritation or blocking vision.
What could smart contact lenses do to improve eye health?
Smart contact lenses may be able to help with five of the most common eye conditions: macular degeneration and cataracts.
Smart contact lenses are able to monitor tear and fluid levels, providing medical diagnostics. Smart contact lenses can monitor glucose levels and even detect changes in the eye fluid to aid doctors in treating glaucoma.
What is the future of smart contact lenses?
The global smart contacts market is expected to grow to USD 2,860.50 million by 2025. This growth rate represents a significant compound annual growth rate (49.6%) in the period 2019-2025.
In the interim, tech and pharmaceutical giants are facing many challenges. Smart contact lenses must be thin enough that they can fit comfortably over the eyes. The challenge lies in making sure the microelectronics and tiny sensors inside smart contact lenses fit comfortably over the eyes. 5
Reliability is another challenge. Smart contact lenses, for example, must be reliable when used in health care. They must relay accurate information to doctors to aid with diagnosis and improve patient treatment.
Privacy is another concern with the possibility of video recording capabilities.
Before smart contact lenses are widely available, all of these issues (and many more) must be resolved. While traditional contact lenses are not capable of doing all the amazing things smart contact lenses promise they can, they are still great for helping to see clearly. Check out our contact lens selection.
Future Technology
These are some of the upcoming contact lenses:
Antihistamines will be preloaded on allergy lenses to relieve itchy eyes. Contact lens wearers with allergies will be able to immediately feel relief, without the need to take off their lenses to apply allergy drops.
Contact lenses made of hydrogel may be beneficial for people with corneal melts or other ocular diseases. Hydrogel contact lenses remove extra zinc from the cornea.
To treat eye ulcers, wound healing lenses are made from the corneal transplant leftover cells. These cells stimulate the body’s healing processes to speed up recovery.
To monitor patients’ blood sugar levels, diabetes lenses have been created. These lenses will include an LED light that alerts the wearer if sugar levels drop or rise to unhealthy levels.
Augmented reality lenses can magnify images for people with vision impairment.
Wearers of smartphone lenses will be able to control their phones using blinking. Samsung and other companies are working together to project images and videos directly onto the users’ eyes.
