'Smart' contact lenses help diagnose cancer from tears?

Just mentioning the word 'cancer' makes people shudder. Because it is difficult to treat and causes pain for the patient. Recently, scientists have developed a contact lens that can detect and even cure cancer.

The research was led by Yangzhi Zhu, a biomedical engineer at Terasak Biomedical Innovation Institute (USA). He says the new development is "quite exciting compared to other current techniques in the field."

 New type of contact lens capable of detecting and even curing cancer?

However, so far this invention has only been tested in laboratory cells. Once proven safe, it will be tested on humans.

Essentially, contact lenses can detect exosomes present in tears. Exosomes are considered markers of tumor growth somewhere in the body.

The lenses are equipped with an antibody that can detect and bind to another antibody found on exosomes. When these two antibodies combine, they turn red.

This red color indicates the presence of tumor cells. The results are so pronounced that they can even be seen with the naked eye.

Fast and convenient method

Needless to say, this technique offers many advantages. While standard blood tests, biopsies, or CT scans take days or even weeks to make a diagnosis, contact lenses give results in as little as 30 minutes.

The process is also painless as it does not require any surgery.

Promising device

Zhu and his team are currently conducting an experimental study on rabbits. New experiments could prove the safety of contact lenses and allow them to be approved for human testing.

If all goes according to plan, the team hopes the contact lenses will not stop at cancer testing but go further, such as diagnosing other diseases such as some of the most autoimmune diseases. determined. One day, they could even be used to deliver drugs as a treatment for disease rather than a simple diagnostic tool.