To manage glaucoma, patients must take medication indefinitely to control internal eye (intraocular) pressure, or IOP. Unfortunately, many people with the disease have difficulty following their eye drop regimen. In an effort to find a solution, scientists at Korea’s Pohang University of Science & Technology have developed a smart contact lens.*

Smart contact lenses

In their report, published in the journal Nature Communications, the researchers explain that, while there are currently contact lenses that monitor iOP, there are none with the ability to administer appropriate medication. One device, called the SENSIMED Triggerfish®, is a contact lens sensor (CLS) that detects IOP changes over a 24-hour period and was recently approved in the U.S. for glaucoma patients. 

Now, the researchers have developed a CLS that detects changes in IOP and administers medication in response to increased levels, relieving patients of the burden of self-administration. They call the device “theranostic” for its combined therapeutic and diagnostic abilities.

What the researchers did

The team developed a wireless CLS that combines an IOP sensor with a flexible system of drug delivery for diagnosing and treating elevated IOP in glaucoma patients. 

The device consists of the following:

• An IOP sensor with nano-scale, hollow wires made of gold
• A wireless power and communications system
• A computer chip to monitor and control IOP
• A flexible delivery system for the drug timolol

What they found

When tested, the smart contact lens successfully measured IOP in real time and released the correct amount of medication to match the increase in pressure.

The researchers say it’s notable the contact lens showed “high sensitivity to ocular strain, excellent chemical stability, and biocompatibility.”

What it means

“This theranostic smart contact lens with a feedback system would open a new avenue to personalized glaucoma treatment,” they conclude, providing maximal effectiveness and minimal side effects, and could also be applied to other wearable devices besides smart contact lenses.

The team hopes that early commercialization of the smart contact lens can help solve medication adherence issues for glaucoma patients.

*Pohang University of Science & Technology. (2023, February 1). A smart contact lens that diagnoses and treats glaucoma. Medical Xpress. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-02-smart-contact-lens-glaucoma.html