"Smart Contact Lens" To Detect Eye Infections Developed By UK, Indian Scientists
NDTV
The University of Sheffield along with University of Bradford and the LV Prasad Eye Institute in India hope the test could eventually be available to use at home
An international team of scientists from India and the UK have developed a pioneering "smart contact lens" to test for eye infections in a quick, non-invasive way, according to a British university involved with the project.
The University of Sheffield along with University of Bradford and the LV Prasad Eye Institute in India hope the test could eventually be available to use at home and has been hailed as the next big leap in the global fight against preventable blindness. It is also expected to prevent deaths caused by fungal eye infections in developing countries.
"Eye infections - microbial keratitis - are a major cause of vision loss and blindness worldwide, and more so in India," said Dr Prashant Garg, Executive Chair, LV Prasad Eye Institute.
"Timely and correct diagnosis can facilitate timely initiation of therapy with appropriate drugs and thereby limit vision loss from these disorders. The currently practised diagnosis method is invasive, time consuming and expensive. The 'smart contact lens' technology could be the next big leap in treatment of eye infections and our collective goal to eliminate avoidable blindness," he said.