A LENS FOR THE FUTURE

University of Liverpool engineers have developed a contact lens that has been found to reliably track Intra ocular pressure changes  which is an indicator for glaucoma changes in a small clinical study

A contact lens developed by University of Liverpool engineers may help improve the treatment of glaucoma.

The soft silicone hydrogel device was found to accurately measure changes in intraocular pressure (IOP) with little discomfort to the patient in a small clinical trial involving 12 volunteers.

The volunteers wore the device for over an hour under clinical supervision at Royal Liverpool University Hospital and Moorfields Eye Hospital.

The contact lens contains a pressure sensor that detects IOP changes and then transmits them wirelessly to a portable external controller the size of a mobile phone.

University of Liverpool biomedical engineers developed the device in collaboration with engineers from specialist contact lens manufacture, Ultravision CLPL.

Professor of Biomaterial Mechanics, Ahmed Elsheikh, highlighted that the device has the potential to provide glaucoma patients with information to ensure that they are treated correctly.

“The results of this study are very positive and show that the device is comfortable for people to wear and gives good measurements of IOP,” he added.

Funding for the project was provided by the National Institute for Health Research.

With thanks to Selina Powell from Optometry Today