Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the third-leading cause of blindness in the world, and currently there are very few treatments for it. Now, a future with clearer eyesight for those who suffer from AMD may be within reach, thanks to scientists developing a new type of contact lens.
Researchers from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland are developing a contact lens that utilizes mirrors to expand the view of the wearer.
Image Source: Screenshot
Eric Tremblay, a researcher for the EPFL, explained in a CNN interview that magnification is also employed in the new visual aid. A complimentary pair of glasses works with the lenses to control the magnification, by detecting specific winks.
Image credit: Screenshot
“‘The battery-powered glasses use LCD technology to watch the movement of the eye and a simple wink can alter their polarization and determine whether light entering is magnified or not. “Having the ability to switch on demand is attractive,’ says Tremblay.
The ability to selectively magnify your vision makes the design of the glass-lens combination more suitable for daily life.
‘When magnified you lose a lot of your field of view, your peripheral vision,’ says Tremblay. A strategic wink will enable users to keep an eye on their periphery, such as cars approaching them as they cross a street, whilst also being able to zoom in and recognize the faces of those around them.”
Researchers have finally overcome the very large obstacle of addressing comfort and the amount of oxygen reaching a wearer’s eyes:
“The most recent prototype, unveiled by the team in February, overcame this challenge by introducing air channels to aid the flow of oxygen to the eye. But the team hopes to improve this further still by instead developing a contact lens solution saturated with oxygen which can be stored and slowly released into the eye. ‘[We will] build reservoirs into the back of the lens,’ says Tremblay.”
No date has been set for the completion or release of the lenses yet. However, the technological progress is a source of great hope for sufferers of AMD.
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