Smart contact lens to detect eye infections quickly!

An international team of scientists from India and the UK have developed a “smart contact lens” to rapidly diagnose eye infections.

A smart device that can detect eye infections comes within weeks of discovering that Apple Watches can detect signs of heart disease, which makes people happy.

Last month the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that fungal eye infections are on the rise worldwide among people with underlying health problems or weakened immune systems. However, it was noted that research on them is very little. It also indicated an increase in diseases such as aspergillosis, mucormycosis and candidemia after covid-19 infection.

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UK’s University of Sheffield, University of Bradford and India’s LV Prasad Eye Institute jointly conducted the smart lens trial. It is hailed as a major achievement in the global effort against preventable blindness in the population. At the same time, the device is also expected to prevent deaths from fungal eye infections.

Microbial keratitis is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness worldwide. Its impact is more visible in India. It is difficult to detect this disease in time. At the same time it costs more. Not everyone can do it.

If not treated on time, it can lead to permanent loss of vision. That is why this smart contact lens has been developed. In the old method, the sample collected from the eye was allowed to grow for 2 days and analyzed. But with the new smart lens, it is said that problems can be detected after patients have worn it for 1 hour.

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Initial tests in the laboratory have yielded positive results. Human trials will be carried out once further funding is available, the team said.

Stephen Rimmer, professor of chemistry at the University of Bradford, said: “We’ve made a smart hydrogel that can detect both bacteria and fungi. The smart lens is made of the same material that other contact lenses are made of, so it’s safe for the eyes. It traps disease-causing microbes. It can be kept and then analysed.” said.

They are confident that this smart device will help to diagnose the disease quickly without costing much and also without taking much time. It will take next year to complete human trials and reach the market.