2026.01.13
Development of a Smart Contact Lens for High-Sensitivity Wireless Intraocular Pressure Monitoring: Demonstration of Effectiveness in Glaucoma Evaluation
A joint research group from Yamaguchi University and Waseda University has successfully developed a smart contact lens capable of measuring changes in intraocular pressure (IOP) with extremely high sensitivity, utilizing wireless detection technology based on the principle of PT symmetry.
This technology achieves a breakthrough sensitivity approximately 183 times higher than conventional methods. In animal experiments, it demonstrated a high correlation with commercial tonometers, proving its effectiveness as a platform for long-term, non-invasive IOP monitoring. Furthermore, the research confirmed the lens’s high transparency and safety.
These findings are expected to contribute significantly to the early diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and home management of glaucoma—the leading cause of blindness in Japan. This achievement was published in the international scientific journal NPJ Flexible Electronics on January 13, 2026.
- Division of Advanced Genome Editing Therapy
Kazuhiro Kimura, M.D., Ph.D. (Department of Ophthalmology)
Atsushige Ashimori, M.D., Ph.D. (Department of Ophthalmology)
- Journal: npj Flexible Electronics
- Title: Ultra-Sensitive Real-Time Monitoring of Intraocular Pressure with an Integrated Smart Contact Lens Using Parity-Time Symmetry Wireless Technology
- Authors: Te Xiao, Hanzhe Zhang, Taiki Takamatsu, Saman Azhari, Atsushige Ashimori, Kazuhiro Kimura, and Takeo Miyake (Corresponding Author)
- Publication Date: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41528-025-00507-3
- URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41528-025-00507-3
- Research Contact: Kazuhiro Kimura, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine
Tel: +81-836-22-2278
E-mail: k.kimura@ (followed by yamaguchi-u.ac.jp) - Media and Public Relations Contact: Institute Administration Section, Life Science Support Division, Research Institute for Cell Design Medical Science, Yamaguchi University
Tel: +81-836-85-3065
E-mail: sh088@ (followed by yamaguchi-u.ac.jp)