Automatically Darkening Contact Lenses on the Horizon
Michael Plishka — November 17, 2009 — Fashion
References: technologyreview
We’ve all seen the sunglasses that magically darken in the presence of light; those glasses are coated with a substance that reacts to Ultraviolet (UV) Light. While this technology is tried and true on larger surfaces like lenses, it does not work well on smaller, flimsy surfaces like contact lenses.
As a result, contact lens wearers have had to settle for one of two solutions: tinted lenses or sunglasses worn over the contacts. Unfortunately, both of these solutions have drawbacks, or defeat the reason for wearing contacts in the first place.
Enter Jackie Ying, director of the Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) in Singapore. Dr. Ying has developed a technique for embedding UV sensitive dyes into the flimsy lenses as opposed to coating them. The lenses behave just like their exteriorly worn counterparts. They darken in the sunlight, and go back to clear when the wearer is out of the light: automatically darkening contact lenses.
No muss, no fuss. The eyes have it.
As a result, contact lens wearers have had to settle for one of two solutions: tinted lenses or sunglasses worn over the contacts. Unfortunately, both of these solutions have drawbacks, or defeat the reason for wearing contacts in the first place.
Enter Jackie Ying, director of the Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) in Singapore. Dr. Ying has developed a technique for embedding UV sensitive dyes into the flimsy lenses as opposed to coating them. The lenses behave just like their exteriorly worn counterparts. They darken in the sunlight, and go back to clear when the wearer is out of the light: automatically darkening contact lenses.
No muss, no fuss. The eyes have it.
Trend Themes
1. Automatically Darkening Contact Lenses - Developing contact lenses that automatically darken in sunlight presents new opportunities in the eyewear industry, particularly for active individuals who want to replace traditional sunglasses with a more comfortable and convenient solution.
2. Uv-sensitive Dye Embedding Technology - The technique of embedding UV-sensitive dyes into contact lenses has the potential to revolutionize the way we approach eyewear technology, opening up new possibilities for integrating monitoring and other features into the lens material.
3. Smart Contact Lenses - The development of contact lenses with embedded UV-sensitive dyes creates potential for smart contact lenses, which can adapt to different lighting conditions and offer health monitoring and other features to wearers.
Industry Implications
1. Eyewear - The development of automatically darkening contact lenses is a disruptive innovation opportunity for eyewear companies looking to offer a more comfortable and convenient alternative to traditional sunglasses.
2. Healthcare Technology - The potential for smart contact lenses opens up opportunities for healthcare technology companies to develop products that integrate monitoring and other features into the lens material.
3. Nanotechnology - The UV-sensitive dye embedding technology developed by the Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology creates opportunities for companies developing products in the nanotechnology industry to apply similar techniques to other materials, potentially leading to new innovations and applications.
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