Artificial crystal as in the human eye

US researchers are working on a type of artificial lens, which aims to replace the damaged lens in the human eye.

Almost identical to the natural lens in the human eye, the artificial lens is based on a technology called GRIN.

Artificial crystals are made of thousands of nanoparticles, capable of bending or refracting light with varying degrees of tilt as the light penetrates.

"The human eye is the GRIN lens ," said Optics Express, lead author Michael Ponting, a polymer scientist at Case Western Reserve University in the US. When light enters the lens of the human eye and enters the back, the light rays are reflected by different angles.

The new technology provides a very effective means of controlling the path of light without relying on complex optics, the way experts try to approach failure.

GRIN is evaluated for potential application in miniature medical imaging devices, while improving the current technology used in ocular glass implantation.