Contact lenses have several advantages over glasses, but they have their drawbacks. For example, they are often the cause of dry eye syndrome or as it is called experts, dry keratoconjunctivitis.
Recently, the same research group under the leadership of Professor Matsuhiko of Nishizawa (Matsuhiko Nishizawa) of Tohoku University, Japan, figured out how to solve this problem…by using all the same lenses. Due to their new mechanism of the eye remains moist.
Recall that blinking helps to cover the surface of the eye tear film fresh. However, prolonged wearing of contact lenses can cause dry eyes, because they reduce the frequency of blinking and increases evaporation. All of this can lead to injury of the cornea, inflammation and discomfort.
a Group of Nishizawa developed a prototype samovarnika lenses created from a hydrogel. Between the material and the eye flows tear fluid. It moves up from a natural reservoir for the lower eyelid. The movement of the liquid causes an electric field applied to the surface of the material.
the scheme of the new contact lenses.Illustration Of Tohoku University.
When testing new contact lenses researchers have successfully brought them into action using the built-in magnesium-oxygen and enzyme fructose-oxygen “biobattery”. But the developers are also studying the possibility of creating instances with wireless power. In addition, they hope to make the lens stiffer and lower the voltage required for their operation.
“This is the first demonstration of the fact that electroosmotic flow in soft contact lens can keep lens moist. In the future it is possible to extend the use of this technology for other purposes such as delivery of medication,” noted Nishizawa.
Scientific article on the results of the study published in Advanced Materials Technologies.
By the way, previously, scientists have found that contact lenses can change the bacterial population of the eye, and explained why they could not be flush.
in addition, the authors of the project “Conduct.Science” (nauka.vesti.ru) talked about contact lenses, darkening in bright sunlight. We wrote about contact lens from Sony that records what a person sees.
Text: To.Science
