Lenses of the Future May Use Liquid Crystals to Combat Presbyopia

Thursday, October 22 2015 | 00 h 00 min | Vision Science

Liquid crystals, the same material in your television and smartphone screens, may soon be found within intraocular lens implants, according to University of Leeds research student Devesh Mistry, currently working on a prototype adjustable artificial lens to combat presbyopia.

Liquid crystals are ordered like crystals yet flow like a liquid, and are capable of responding to stimuli. Researchers have previously built liquid crystal lens prototypes which adjust their focus based on electrical signals, and Mistry is eager to take it a step further: “Using liquid crystals, […] lenses would adjust and focus automatically, depending on the eye muscles’ movement.”

The project, a collaboration between Eurolens Research and specialty CL manufacturer UltraVision CLPL, aims to have a commercially available lens for sale within six to ten years.

Further information: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/news/article/3775/is_the_end_in_sight_for_reading_glasses