What are Telescopic Contact Lens?
Wink once to zoom. Telescopic contact lenses that let the wearer switch between normal and magnified vision are coming into focus.
Developed by a team led by Eric Tremblay at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, the rigid contact lens covers the sclera, or whites of the eyes, making it larger than an ordinary lens. Within it are tiny aluminium mirrors, arranged in a ring around the centre. When light streams through, the mirrors bounce it around several times, causing objects to appear 2.8 times larger than they really are.
How do these Telescopic Contact Lens work?
-To toggle between the magnified and normal views, the lenses must be worn with a pair of electronic glasses. A wink with one eye makes the glasses switch to a polarised filter that directs light to the telescopic part of the lenses. Winking with the other eye switches the setting back to let light pass through normally.
A prototype contact lens uses a ring of miniscule aluminum mirrors to generate magnification when appropriately stimulated by polarized light.
It is still in the prototype stage and has not been tested in humans.
The technology is crafted to enable patients to seamlessly transition between regular vision and magnified vision (2.8X) through the use of specialized glasses.
Paired with these smart glasses, a small light source and reflective light detection from the contact lens empower them to discern winks and disregard blinks.
The glasses possess the capability to electronically opt for specific polarizations of light, facilitating normal vision or magnification as needed. For instance, a patient can wink their right eye for magnification and the left eye for regular vision, granting instant magnification on demand.
The act of winking one eye disrupts the reflected light from the contact lens to the glasses, triggering the activation of a polarized filter directing light towards the telescopic section of the contact lens. Battery-powered LCD glasses monitor eye movements, facilitating the activation of filters.
These contact lenses, characterized by their large size covering the sclera (white part of the eye), are constructed from a rigid material. Users will have the flexibility to switch between a standard view, encompassing both central and peripheral vision, and a magnified view, focusing solely on central vision.
The lenses incorporate polarizing thin films and biologically safe glues. Currently in the research stage in Switzerland, these contacts are notably large, featuring 0.1 mm wide air channels to enhance oxygen flow.
These Telescopic Contact Lens will greatly help the patients with Low Vision and Macular Degeneration
People with macular degeneration lose their eyesight gradually, with damage to the retina making their vision increasingly blurry. Existing treatment options are limited to surgery, or wearing visual aids that resemble opera glasses – known as bioptic telescopes.
Image, news credit –Newscientist
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