Smart Contact Lens Automates Glaucoma Drug Dosing

Researchers at the Terasaki Institute have developed an electronics-free smart contact lens for glaucoma treatment that uses microfluidics to both monitor intraocular pressure and automatically deliver drugs when pressure rises. The all-polymer lens embeds 3D-printed microchannels and silk-sponge reservoirs — one filled with red fluid for pressure visualization, two filled with medication. A smartphone app using a convolutional neural network reads pressure with 94% accuracy. The closed-loop system requires no manual intervention and can hold two weeks of medication. Rabbit trials showed efficacy comparable to conventional eye drops with no biocompatibility issues over 14 days. Limitations include non-continuous monitoring (requires holding a phone to the eye) and reduced precision versus electronic alternatives. The team is pursuing commercialization and a provisional patent, with potential extension to dry eye, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration.