An Eye On Health

Researchers from the Pohang University of Science and Technology in Korea (POSTECH) found a new way to monitor diabetes and deliver medication…through a smart contact lens-eyeglass combo.

This could mean the end to painful daily finger pricks for blood glucose monitoring, while ushering in a much more efficient way of treating diabetes-induced eye diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.

The package comes with eyeglasses that wirelessly power and communicate with a circuit-lined, drug-releasing contact lens that a patient could wear for up to a month.

Tests have shown that the glucose concentration in tears could be an alternative sample for blood sugar levels. The smart contact lens-eyeglass could also continuously monitor glucose levels in diabetics, and alert them when their blood sugar is spiking. It could also be a conduit for therapy for diabetes-related eye disorders.