that the new development “is pretty exciting compared to the other current techniques in this field.”Before you get too excited about the technology's development, it should be noted that it has thus far only been tried in lab cells. But that does not mean it couldn’t be tested in humans once proved safe.
How does it work? The device identifies cellular byproducts in tears called exosomes that are thought to indicate tumor growth somewhere in the body. The lenses are equipped with an antibody that can spot and latch onto another antibody found on these exosomes. When these two antibodies come together, they turn red.This red color indicates the presence of tumor cells. The results are so powerful that they can even be observed by the naked eye.Needless to say, this technique offers many advantages, including speed.
If it all goes to plan, Zhu and his team hope the contact lens will go beyond cancer testing, such as diagnosing other conditions like certain autoimmune diseases. They may one day even be used to deliver drugs serving as a treatment for diseases rather than a simple diagnostic tool.“The microchambers can not only support a [disease] sensor but can also be a vehicle to drugs and vaccines,” Zhu toldThe study does make one look at contact lenses in a whole new light.