Scientists Have Created Contact Lenses That Zoom When You Blink Twice



It’s the stuff of science fiction: contact lenses that zoom on your command. Fortunately, scientists at the University of California San Diego have made it a reality. They have created a contact lens that’s controlled by eye movements and can zoom in if you blink twice. How is this possible? In the simplest of terms, the scientists measured the electrooculographic signals generated when eyes make specific movements — up, down, left, right, blink, double blink — and created a soft biomimetic lens that responds directly to those electric impulses. The lens created was able to change to its focal length, depending on the signals generated. The lens can literally zoom in the blink of an eye. The lens works regardless of whether the user can see or not. It’s not about the sight, it’s about the electricity produced by specific movements. Researchers believe this innovation could be used in visual prostheses, adjustable glasses, and remotely operated robotics in the future.