Convenient means of monitoring blood sugar levels have long been sought after by diabetics. With the most common method of measurement being the painful “finger prick, many individuals loath the necessary monitoring of their blood sugar. Recent innovation, however, offers a unique and innovative way to measure blood sugar without the pain. The revolutionary concept of a contact lens that can measure one’s blood sugar levels through tears is establishing itself as a possible alternative for diabetics.
The concept was first announced to the public in 2014, when Google and Novartis teamed up to create this one-of-a-kind contact lens. Talk of the device has been quiet in years since, until a recent study put it to the test this past February. Researchers from UNIST and Sungkyunkwan University teamed up to test the efficacy of a prototype of this contact lens. Equipped with glucose sensors, wireless power transfer circuits, and display pixels integrated with transparent electronics, the contact lens was placed on the eye of a rabbit. In addition to causing the rabbit no discomfort, the lens was able to detect a glucose concentration greater than the threshold 0.9 mM, as indicated by the LED indicator shutting off. The temperature of the lens device remained constant throughout the experiment, showing no signs of an overheating risk with the electrical apparatus.
These results are a sign that the smart contact lens could be a possible means of blood sugar measurement. By providing a wireless, continuous, and noninvasive way to monitor the physiological imbalance that burdens the lives of diabetics, the blood sugar monitoring contacts may be the answer to their prayers.
Sources: Science Advances, Labiotech
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