Smart Contact Lenses Could Improve Your Health As Well As Your Vision—Here’s How

You're in the pharmacy, reading a shopping list that appears to hover in the air in front of you. The first item is cough syrup. A glow appears in your vision and highlights a nearby shelf. As you pick up a bottle, an alert appears where your shopping list was, warning that the medication could raise your blood sugar. It also displays your current blood sugar level and highlights a safer option on the shelf. All this information is provided in seconds, thanks to the smart contact lenses you’re wearing.

This may sound like something out of a science fiction movie, but researchers are developing smart contact lenses that could make this kind of scenario possible. So what are smart contact lenses, and what will they be capable of? Let’s discuss.

What are smart contact lenses?

In short, smart contact lenses are contact lenses that are enhanced by technology. The idea of using technology to change how we interact with the world around us isn't new. Smartphones, smart watches, and even virtual reality (VR) have already increased the presence of technology in our everyday lives. For some companies, merging smart technology with contact lenses is the next goal.

So what could smart contact lenses potentially do? Researchers are primarily focused on two areas: 

• Augmented reality. Augmented reality (AR) is when computerized images are placed over a live image or video of the real world. The background images some people use during virtual meetings are an example of AR. Now imagine that instead of using a GPS on your smartphone, you could see the map in your field of vision. This is one possible use for smart lenses.

• Health insights. Some health technology companies are researching ways to collect health information using smart contacts. The lenses would be able to monitor certain vital signs, like blood sugar, and potentially alert you if there are any issues.

Do smart lenses actually improve sight?

Not all smart contacts being developed will correct eyesight the way traditional contact lenses do. Instead, they would be worn solely for their smart functions.

There are some companies that are working to add smart technology to existing corrective lenses, however. And, as we’ll detail below, some smart lenses may help with specific vision problems, such as low vision, that can’t be treated with traditional lenses.

Whether smart lenses will also provide vision correction will vary from company to company.

What can smart lenses do?

Currently, the only available smart contact lenses are designed to measure eye pressure. This can help healthcare providers diagnose glaucoma.

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What other smart lenses will be able to do will largely depend on how much technology researchers can fit on a wearable lens.

Some ideas for what future smart lenses might be able to do include:

• Track blood glucose for diabetes

• Measure cholesterol levels

• Enable vision enhancements, such as magnification

• Provide AR features, such as being able to pull up a map or list

4 companies developing smart contact lenses

For a while, Google was working on a smart contact lens to track blood sugar. However, the project was canceled in 2018. Researchers at Stanford are also interested in creating a lens to track blood sugar. Samsung and Sony have filed patents for lenses that include camera functions. But none of these products have gotten very far in development.

Currently, there are five smaller companies that have been trying to bring products to market or get FDA clearance.

1. Mojo Vision

Mojo Vision seeks to create smart contact lenses with AR functions. They envision people using their contacts at work, while exercising, and during other everyday activities. The current prototype uses hard lenses that contain multiple sensors. Some potential features could include tracking workouts or managing grocery lists. The goal is to provide a digital overlay of useful information within your field of vision.

2. InWith Corporation

InWith Corporation is looking to offer similar features to Mojo Vision, but they're developing a soft lens. The company has also stated that their lenses will help manage presbyopia, a condition people develop with age that makes it hard to focus on close objects. This is the only lens in development that aims to address the condition.

3. Innovega

Innovega is looking to create smart contact lenses that are paired with smart glasses. If worn alone, the contact lenses will act like traditional corrective lenses. But when worn with the smart glasses, the smart lenses will let the wearer magnify or enhance images. This approach is being studied for people with low vision from conditions like macular degeneration. Low vision is when you have reduced sight that can’t be corrected with traditional glasses or contacts.

4. Sensimed Triggerfish

Sensimed Triggerfish is currently the only smart contact lens that’s available for use. It can be used to measure intraocular pressure (eye pressure) over a 24-hour period. This measurement can help your eye doctor determine if you have glaucoma. The lens is used together with a soft antenna that’s applied around your eye. Once the device has finished tracking your eye pressure, your eye doctor will remove it. It’s not meant to be worn daily.

How much do smart contact lenses cost?

At this point, we don’t know how much most smart contact lenses will cost because they aren’t yet on the market.

The Sensimed Triggerfish is reported to cost $650. Because you would receive it directly from your eye doctor, it could be covered by vision or medical insurance. You should check with your insurance providers to see if this would be covered. You can also ask your eye doctor’s office about ways to help you save.

When will smart lenses be available?

Sensimed Triggerfish is already available. But it’s not a device you can purchase yourself, since it’s designed to be used by healthcare professionals for medical diagnosis. And it’s not an appropriate device for everyone to use.

Smart contact lenses with convenience-type features (such as GPS or a fitness tracker) are likely still a few years out. No companies have provided expected release dates. Smart lenses with health-related features will likely take even longer. They’ll have to undergo clinical trials and receive FDA clearance before they can be marketed. This process can take many years.

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Written by:

Timothy Aungst, PharmD

Timothy Aungst, PharmD, has worked in pharmacy practice for the past decade with different roles and responsibilities. He has served as an associate professor of pharmacy practice for almost a decade, a clinical pharmacist in outpatient cardiology management, and now in home healthcare.

Edited by:

Christina Aungst, PharmD

Christina Aungst, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She began writing for GoodRx Health in 2019, transitioning from freelance writer to editor in 2021.

Reviewed by:

Nishika Reddy, MD

Nishika Reddy, MD, is an attending physician at the University of Utah. She provides comprehensive and cornea medical care at the Moran Eye Center and serves as clinical assistant professor.

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