Soft smart contact lenses to monitor eye pressure around the clock
Smart soft contact lenses for continuous 24-hour monitoring of intraocular pressure in glaucoma care
These smart soft contact lenses aim to track eye pressure continuously, day and night, for people with glaucoma or at risk of glaucoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Purdue University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (West Lafayette, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11305987 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project is developing soft contact lenses with built-in sensors to measure intraocular pressure continuously over 24 hours. The researchers plan to make the lenses comfortable for long-term wear, including during sleep, so they can detect pressure peaks that routine clinic checks miss. They will optimize materials and design to reduce irritation seen with earlier devices and test safety, accuracy, and wearability in laboratory and clinical settings. If successful, the lenses could be worn at home to inform treatment and catch harmful pressure changes earlier.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be adults with diagnosed glaucoma or ocular hypertension who are willing and able to wear contact lenses.
Not a fit: People without glaucoma risk, those who cannot safely wear contact lenses (for example severe dry eye or corneal disease), or anyone allergic to contact lens materials may not benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these lenses could help detect dangerous IOP spikes that happen during sleep and enable better pressure control to slow glaucoma-related vision loss.
How similar studies have performed: Related devices like the Triggerfish contact lens recorder have shown continuous IOP pattern monitoring is possible but were limited by discomfort and side effects, motivating this effort to improve comfort and long-term use.
Where this research is happening
West Lafayette, United States
- Purdue University — West Lafayette, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lee, Chi Hwan — Purdue University
- Study coordinator: Lee, Chi Hwan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.