Good day Steemians. Welcome. The assertion that human beings itch closer to becoming cyborgs is gradually becoming a reality with each passing day. A study has discovered a new way of determining blood glucose levels via the development of a contact lens/glass that can detect blood glucose levels in tears and signals whether the person wearing it is having abnormally high blood sugar levels. That is a feat! and huge reprieve for diabetics who have to severely prick their fingers in a day to get blood samples to analyze for abnormal levels of blood sugar.
In diabetes, the blood sugar or more acceptably blood glucose levels are occasionally more abundant in the body than actually needed to sustain normal metabolic processes. This could be caused by the inability of the pancreas to produce sufficient amount of insulin that is needed to break down sugar, resulting into type 1 diabetes. Or more commonly type II diabetes where the body's ability to use insulin has been impaired such that the body is unable to properly process insulin.
When the blood glucose levels stay elevated for a long time as is the case with diabetes, blood vessels stand the risk of being damaged with increased chances of developing vision problems, nerve problems, stroke, heart disease and kidney failure. In order to avoid this, some dietetics must monitor their blood sugar levels regularly.
Typically, the gold standard to determine accurate blood sugar levels involves finger sticking or pricking the finger for blood sample to monitor blood glucose levels. This is not a pleasant experience as diabetics may have to do this more than 8 times in a day!
It can all add up to tens of thousands of finger pricks over a person's lifetime.
These unpleasant experiences of the diabetics are set to end if the result announced by South Korean researchers is confirmed to be successful in human beings as had been confirmed in Rabbits. In the study, the researchers produced a soft contact lens that is integrated with a glucose sensor, which is capable of measuring blood sugar levels in tears. Resulting test result is then wirelessly transmitted to a device that displays the result in a way that is easily understood by the wearer.
The contacts have a tiny glucose sensor and LED light incorporated into them. An antenna then picks up radiofrequency signals from a transmitter and converts that to electricity, which is fed to a light that shines green. When the sensor registers that the glucose level in one's tears has topped a set limit, it cuts the power to the LED and the light goes off. The LEDs are specifically positioned to face outward so that the wearer cannot normally see them. This means that by looking in a mirror, anyone wearing the lenses can see when they need to adjust their insulin levels. Source
When the procedure was carried out in rabbits, there was no sign that the test animals were uncomfortable wearing the contact lens. The research was published in the journal Advance Science.
Although the smart contact lenses have not been tested on humans, the team is confident the procedure will be successful when finally tested in humans. And stated, however, that it could take up to 5 years before the technology would be publicly available. Thanks for reading.
References for further reading
- These smart contacts can monitor the glucose levels in tears
- Soft, smart contact lenses can monitor glucose levels in your tears
- Smart contact lenses may one day test sugar levels
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