Smart Contact Lens Monitors Eye Pressure and Delivers Glaucoma Drugs in Preclinical Tests

Researchers at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation developed a smart contact lens that monitors intraocular pressure and delivers glaucoma medication without electronics or batteries, published Wednesday in Science Translational Medicine. The polymer-based device triggers drug release when eye pressure changes modify corneal shape, which alters an embedded microfluidic chamber, and performed reliably in preclinical tests on rabbits with ocular hypertension and ex vivo cow eyes. Director Yangzhi Zhu applied for a patent in 2025 and plans small human trials, though FDA approval could be complex with the monitoring system advancing faster than the drug delivery component due to different regulatory standards. The device would be tailored individually, changed weekly, and offers advantages over existing systems like FDA-approved Triggerfish in comfort, size, and potential cost.

Design and functionality of the smart contact lens device

• ▪The smart contact lens device is based entirely on polymers, making everything soft and flexible
• ▪The smart contact lens has the flexibility of a regular contact lens
• ▪The smart contact lens monitors ocular pressure without need for electronics or a battery
• ▪The smart contact lens delivers pulses of glaucoma medication as needed to control eye pressure
• ▪The smart contact lens device presented in Science Translational Medicine is called a theranostic device because it combines therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities

Preclinical testing results and methodology

• ▪The smart contact lens monitoring and drug delivery functions performed reliably when tested live in the eyes of rabbits with ocular hypertension and a control group without ocular hypertension
• ▪The smart contact lens device was tested on ex vivo cow eyes
• ▪The research article on the smart contact lens was published Wednesday in Science Translational Medicine
• ▪Rabbits are the animals whose eyesight is most similar to humans

Comparison with existing glaucoma monitoring technologies

• ▪In 2018, the Google spinoff Verily shelved its high-profile program to develop a glucose-sensing contact lens that would spare diabetes patients from needle sticks
• ▪Triggerfish is meant to be worn for 24 hours to provide more extensive and accurate information on eye pressure
• ▪Some of Triggerfish's components are rigid, nontransparent, and the mechanical mismatch between the soft cornea surface and the mechanical components can induce significant ocular discomfort
• ▪Triggerfish is a continuous ocular monitoring system made by Sensimed and approved by the Food and Drug Administration

Regulatory pathway and future clinical applications

• ▪Yangzhi Zhu is director of the Biomedical Device Center at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation in California
• ▪Yangzhi Zhu and the Terasaki Institute applied for a patent for the pressure monitoring contact lens in 2025
• ▪The next step for the smart contact lens is to work with clinical partners to do a small human trial to confirm the practical use

Perspective of Regulatory perspective (FDA approval pathway)

• ▪The drug dispensing system of the Terasaki Institute smart contact lens is subject to more rigorous regulatory standards than the monitoring system
• ▪The monitoring system of the Terasaki Institute smart contact lens would be quicker to get FDA approval than the drug dispensing system
• ▪The path to eventual FDA approval for the Terasaki Institute smart contact lens could be complex and would move on separate paths at two speeds