Pop In Your Contact Lenses To Read Your Glucose Levels

Researchers in South Korea have developed smart contact lenses that can monitor glucose levels using tears.

AsianScientist (Feb. 27, 2018) – A team of researchers at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) has developed a biosensing contact lens capable of detecting glucose levels in patients with diabetes. They published their findings in Science Advances.

For patients with diabetes, monitoring and controlling blood sugar levels are extremely important because having high blood glucose levels for extended periods of time can lead to a host of diabetes complications. An enzyme-based, finger-pricking method is the most commonly used technology in diabetic assessment. However, such an approach has been said to reduce compliance among diabetic patients.

In the last several decades, many attempts have been made to monitor glucose levels in tears with smart contact lenses, but they are often not used due to poor wearability. To solve this issue, Professor Park Jang-Ung of UNIST, in collaboration with Professor Lee Jung Heon at Sungkyunkwan University, unveiled a smart contact lens that uses electrodes comprised of highly stretchable and transparent materials.

This clear, flexible lens also contains a glucose sensor that sends electrical signals to an LED. With this sensor, patients can transmit their health information in real-time using the embedded wireless antenna in the lens. Electric power that activates the LED pixel and the glucose sensor is wirelessly transmitted to the lens through the antenna. When the glucose concentration in tear fluid is detected as above the normal threshold, this LED pixel turns off.

The research team has successfully tested their prototype lens on a live rabbit. The rabbit showed no signs of abnormal behavior during repeated eye blinks, and the LED pixel turned off when tear fluids with glucose concentration was over the threshold. In addition, during the wireless operations, this smart contact lens could still maintain the eye temperature stably without abrupt heating.

“These smart contact lenses are made made of transparent nanomaterials and therefore do not obstruct the wearer’s view,” said the researchers. “Besides, because the system uses a wireless antenna to read sensor information, no separate power source is required for the smart contact lens sensors.”

The in vivo tests using a live rabbit demonstrated substantial promise for noninvasive health care monitoring using human eyes and tears, said the research team.

“Our smart contact lens provides a platform for wireless, continuous and noninvasive monitoring of physiological conditions, as well as the detection of biomarkers associated with ocular and other diseases,” added Park. “It also offers the potential for expanded applicability in other areas, such as smart devices for drug delivery and augmented reality.”



The article can be found at: Park et al. (2018) Soft, Smart Contact Lenses with Integrations of Wireless Circuits, Glucose Sensors, and Displays.

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Source: Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology; Photo: Shutterstock.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.

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