Stanford University
Researchers from Stanford University are looking at how human tears work to help improve contact lens design.
The researchers looked at how contacts can break up the tear film of the eye with prolonged wear, and found that mimicking the tear film's lipid layer in contact lens construction could help wearers avoid discomfort. To prove their theory, the research team built a device that mimics the surface of the eye called the Interfacial Dewetting and Drainage Optical Platform (i-DDrOP), which reproduces a tear film on the surface of a contact lens.
According to Stanford, this machine now gives manufacturers the ability to accurately recreate a tear film on the contact lens surface and test how quickly it disintegrates, giving them tools to make a more comfortable contact lens.
Photo Caption: Using the i-DDrOP device, researchers can observe how a tear dissolves. Photo courtesy Saad Bhamla.
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