One in every nineteen people suffer from diabetes today, and this number is set to rise as our lifestyles and eating habits become more unhealthy. By 2035 it is predicted that this number will rise to one in ten. An important part of caring for and managing diabetes it getting your blood sugar levels checked. This helps to prevent long term problems associated with the condition and to identify when the levels are dangerously high or low. Currently the testing involves frequent and painful tests many times per day.
Technology giants, Google, have stepped in, and are developing an alternative method which will be painless, non invasive and accurate! The method involves implanting a tiny glucose sensor, an antenna as thin as a hair and a chip the size of one piece of glitter into a contact lens. When tears that are produced naturally by the eye touch the sensor, it is able to measure the glucose levels, and it can do this once per second! It is powered by a miniature wireless capacitor, making the whole package portable and more importantly, virtually invisible.
The technology is currently at an early stage, as Google hopes to add more functionality before its general release. The next step forward will be to add an LED warning system that flashes when the eyelids are closed. This will help to alert the patient to changes to glucose levels that cross the danger thresholds.
The Smart Contact lens will be just the start of a new generation of preventative miniaturised healthcare systems. Googles technology will accelerate wearable devices that can use smartphone apps as monitors. There are already several smart watches that are being developed that monitor heart rate and temperature. Scientists in Japan have also developed a ‘smart wig’ with healthcare cited as one of its many uses.
If you are interested in vision correction at Focus Clinic please call us on 0207 307 8250 and book a free consultation.
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What is Blepharitis?
Blepharitis becomes especially important when we are looking to perform laser eye surgery, e.g. Z-LASIK. Blepharitis is linked with dryness of the eyes and should be treated before having vision correction, to increase the moisture over the cornea (which does temporarily become drier after treatment). This LASIK post-op dryness recovers within 3-6 months, and is […]
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What are floaters?
Some people can notice a change in their floaters after having laser eye surgery, either a change in pattern or an increase. This seems to happen mainly for those patients with very high amounts of shortsight (myopia), eg -7.00 dioptres or higher. Also patients are paying much more attention to their vision, and the quality […]
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What is macular degeneration?
This is a common eye disease linked to ageing that in time will destroys sharp, clear central vision due to damage to the retina. The retina is the very thin tissue that lives at the back of the eye and contains the light-sensing cells which are sending visual signals to the brain. Sharp, clear, ‘straight […]
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Specialist treatments at FOCUS
Many people think of laser eye surgery as a treatment for standard degrees of short-sight. However at Focus Clinic this is just part of what we do. In addition to offering a range of treatments for long sight and also presbyopia (reading vision correction), our expertise allows us to go beyond the normal ‘standard’. Our specialist treatments […]
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The bionic eye
Is science fiction becoming a reality? After years of intensive engineering a bionic eye has been approved for commercial use. Named the Argus II, it is a device that can improve sight for individuals who can see virtually nothing, making previously impossible tasks attainable. People with certain types of blindness can go from seeing virtually […]
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TETRIS improves vision?
Many people believe that computer games can be detrimental to your vision, but surprisingly the addictive puzzle game Tetris can help to improve Amblyopia, commonly known as ‘Lazy Eye’. Amblyopia occurs when the nerves that connect one of the eyes to the brain develop incorrectly as a child. As a result, blurry or wrong images […]
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What is presbyopia?
Reading glasses and surgical options You can’t escape Presbyopia, the medical term for the loss of reading vision in middle age. Sadly, it will happen to us all eventually. Even if you’ve never had a vision problem before. It usually occurs around the ages of 45-50 in the UK, and earlier in warmer and more […]
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Hayfever and itchy eyes – What to do?
Finally we have a warm week and it feels like summer is here. But for more than 15,000,000 people in the UK suffering with hay fever it’s all about sneezing, itchy eyes and a runny nose. To help those of you suffering in the sun, we’ve compiled a list of top tips for battling those […]
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Eye tracking
Eye tracking is the measurement of eye activity. Where do we look? What do we ignore? When do we blink? It is becoming more and more common place within a variety of technologies from gaze controlled mobile phones and televisions to diagnosing brain disorders. Here are a few of its uses: Laser Vision Correction […]
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New part of the eye discovered
New part of the eye discovered You would think that in 2013, we would know all there is to know about human anatomy, and then scientists go and find a whole new body part! Where do we find it? In the eye, the organ that helps us to see clearly. I looks like we were […]
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Protecting your eyes from the sun
Protecting your eyes from the sun As Britain sizzles in the hottest weather recorded since 2006, hundreds of thousands of people are set to get ready to attend some of the biggest summer events and make last minute holiday getaways. We know the dangers of unprotected skin from the sun’s rays, but what about ultraviolet […]
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Bluetooth glasses or laser eye surgery?
Bluetooth glasses or laser eye surgery? Do you find that you keep misplacing your glasses? Or do you have several pairs dotted around the house, car and office, so that you so do not find yourself without them? Phone Halo thinks that they have found a solution. They have designed a special pair of glasses […]
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Computer games and vision
Christmas is drawing closer and everybody is hunting for the perfect gift for their loved ones. On the top of many lists will be some of the brand new computer game consoles that have just been launched such as Xbox One or Playstation 4. You will have probably heard that these kind of games can […]
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Helping those who cannot see, with science
Helping those who cannot see, with science Scientists from Cambridge University say that they have successfully managed to print new eye cells. These cells could be used to treat and cure certain types of blindness. this Bio-printing technology is the first step towards using 3D printer technology to create artificial tissue, and is currently being […]
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Using eyes to fight crime
Using eyes to fight crime? Researchers at the University of Glasgow have been able to distinguish faces from their reflection in another person’s eye. The team have used a 39 megapixel camera to take a photograph of a person in perfect lighting from one metre away. The resulting high resolution image could then be enlarged, […]
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City living and dry eyes
An American study has found that city living increases the likelihood of suffering from dry eyes. Dry Eye Syndrome is a condition where either the eyes do not make enough tears, or the tears that are made evaporate from the eye too quickly. Lack of tears causes the eye to dry out which can leave […]
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How an app can help the blind
A smart phone app has been developed which will help blind and visually impaired people navigate their surroundings. Standard navigational apps currently use GPS and voice controls for directions which can run into problems in certain situations. For example, the directions can stop working when GPS is not available and voice directions can be drowned […]
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What happens if I blink during laser eye surgery?
The idea of having laser surgery can be a frightening thought. One of the most common concerns that we hear is whether you will be able to keep your eyes open for long enough, and then what happens if you blink? We would like to take this time to give you some reassurance. We all […]
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New eye layer linked to glaucoma
Last July we reported on a very exciting discovery of a new human body part! It was an extra layer in the eye, called Dua’s layer, named after its discoverer Dr Harminder Dua. The finding of the new layer, was expected to hold the key to many eye diseases, why they occurred, and more importantly, […]
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Smart phones become eye-phones
Researchers at Stanford University have developed two adaptors for smartphones that will allow the phones to take high quality images of both the front and the back of the eye. Currently these pictures need to be taken by a camera that is attached to a slit lamp. The slit lamp is a very expensive piece […]
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How to accentuate your eye colour after laser eye surgery
People choose to have laser eye surgery for a variety of different reasons. To avoid the hassle of glasses and contact lenses, to gain freedom to fully enjoy sporting pursuits or to simply gain a confidence boost. Whatever your motivation, you will probably find that you will be showing off your beautiful eyes for the very […]
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Age 18 to 30 with driving glasses
More and more people age 18-30 are being prescribed glasses, from the use of technology gadgets, computers and for driving. The most common reason for those age 18-30 and need glasses for driving and other distance vision problems, or who wear glasses full time is: Myopia, also known as short-sight You may also have astigmatism, […]
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Age 18-30 and reading glasses
The most common reason for vision issues for people from 18-30, who need glasses for reading (and who may wear glasses full time) is: Hyperopia, also known as long-sight / longsighted You may also have astigmatism, either alone or combined with long-sight How does hyperopia/long-sightedness develop? According to the National Eye Institute, hyperopia develops in […]
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Does LASIK wear off?
Does LASIK wear off? What do we know about long-term effects of LASIK? It’s been around 25 years – is that really enough time to discern long-term effects? Yes, it would appear so. There are rare changes that have been observed up to 2 years after treatment (and which are treatable), otherwise we haven’t seen any other effects, […]
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Pros and cons of laser eye surgery
Pros and cons of laser eye surgery Despite the procedure being more than 25 years old, laser eye surgery is still regarded as a relatively new operation. The pros and cons of laser eye surgery can help a prospective patient decide if vision correction is right for them. Benefits and risks of vision correction It […]
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Refractive lens exchange cost
The typical Refractive Lens Exchange cost is £5400 for complete treatment to both eyes, using a standard monofocal lens. This includes your FREE initial consultation and all post surgery appointments and eye drops. If you are found suitable at your initial assessment, a second consultation with your treating surgeon will be arranged and costs £100.
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Common Habits That Can Damage Your Eyes
"Don't sit so close to the television...you'll ruin your eyes!" Pretty much all of us will have had this shouted at us as kids! And to be fair to our concerned parents, there used to be some truth in the saying!
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High cholesterol: Did you know it can damage your vision?
Most people are aware that high cholesterol causes health issues, but many aren’t aware of the impact high cholesterol can have on your vision.
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Prescription Drugs: What ones are damaging your eyes?
What prescription drugs could be harming our vision? For many years there has been speculation over the side effects of major drugs around the world. Whilst adverse reactions to medical prescription are rare, they can and do appear for some of us, especially when drugs are taken for extended periods of time. The below common […]
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The Misleading Prices of Laser Eye Surgery
Adverts can be confusing, especially when it comes to pricing, so when we hear of low price laser eye surgery is it really what it seems or is it too good to be true?
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