Across the world, some 80 million people suffer from glaucoma, a number that\u2019s expected to swell to 111 million by 2040. Today, an estimated three million have been diagnosed in the United States.<\/p>\n
But common as it may be, glaucoma is a formidable affliction. It takes root with an accumulation of fluid in the eyes, forming a bubble of extra pressure that slowly damages the optical nerve. At first touch, symptoms can be imperceptible\u2014perhaps a bit of blurriness, or a slight weakening of your peripheral sight. Over time, the angle through which your pupils peer might narrow further and further\u2014until one day, you might wake up with your field of vision completely zeroed out. No cure exists.<\/p>\n
Glaucoma can be treated by lowering the extra pressure in the eyes, most often with prescription eye drops. Now,\u00a0Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)\u00a0in South Korea has engineered a way to make the treatment more futuristic, with a smart contact lens that automatically delivers doses of medication over time, straight onto the eyeballs.<\/p>\n
The contact lens, developed by a team from POSTECH\u2019s department of materials science and engineering, is fitted with hollow nanowires made of gold, which serve as sensors that constantly track intraocular pressure (IOP). POSTECH\u2019s invention can also administer the appropriate treatment in response to the diagnostic data. It\u2019s powered by an integrated circuit chip, which allows the lens to release amounts of a drug on demand.<\/p>\n
Similarly to diabetes, glaucoma is a treatable disease that patients must manage for life. Also, like diabetes, the greatest uphill battle today is adherence. Many patients struggle to remember to check IOP levels, or simply find the monitoring too much of a hassle.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope the early commercialization of the newly developed theranostic smart contact lens for diagnosing and treating glaucoma intraocular pressure [can] provide glaucoma patients\u2019 compliance,\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0Sei Kwang Hahn, a POSTECH professor and the study\u2019s lead.<\/p>\n