3D-Printed, Customized Contact Lenses Are Possible, and Can Be Made in 20 Minutes

A new system could create patient-specific lenses for those with irregular corneas who struggle with traditional contact lenses.

Anna Gragert Senior Editor, Health and Home

Anna Gragert (she/her/hers) was previously the lifestyle editor at HelloGiggles, the deputy editor at So Yummy and the senior lifestyle editor at Hunker. Over the past 12 years, Anna has also written for the LA Times, Elle, Bust Magazine, Dazed, Apartment Therapy, Well+Good and more. At CNET, she's a senior editor on the Healthy Home team, and her coverage includes health, wellness tech, meal kits and home and kitchen tech with a focus on the technology that aims to help us live our healthiest, happiest lives.

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3 min read

If you have irregularly shaped corneas or a vision condition that requires hard contact lenses -- such as severe nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism -- you know that finding the right fit can take weeks of trial and error. That could all change with 3D-printed contact lenses that take under 20 minutes to produce.

A press release published on Tuesday reports that researchers at the University of Waterloo's Department of Chemistry in Ontario, Canada, have developed a contact lens system that uses custom software to digitally map each patient's cornea, i.e., the clear, dome-shaped outer layer that covers the front of the eye.

Instead of relying on premanufactured lenses in set sizes, the platform would create personalized lenses that conform to your cornea's shape and size with a rapid production time -- allowing clinics to design, print and dispense custom lenses in one visit. The team also invented and provisionally patented a 3D-printable silicone designed for patient safety.

"Our goal is for the printed lenses to perform equivalently to current commercial contact lenses in terms of surface properties, including smoothness to prevent abrasion, stability under standard cleaning and storage conditions and oxygen permeability," Shirley Tang, one of the researchers behind the study, told CNET via email.

How the 3D-printed contact lens system works

Contact lenses are typically made of silicone, but that material won't work with a 3D printer. The Waterloo researchers created a hydrophilic (aka water-loving) silicone formulation that works with a DLP (digital light processing) 3D printer and doesn't compromise on safety or oxygen flow.

According to a research article published by the Waterloo team in June, the cornea's lens geometry is generated using algorithms that then produce thickness maps for 3D printing.

"Our software designs a lens with an inner surface that precisely matches the patient's cornea and an outer surface that provides the required vision correction," said Sayan Ganguly, a chemistry research associate at the University of Waterloo, in the press release.

What results is prescription-specific, personalized contact lenses.

Since 3D printing builds objects layer by layer, this can result in imperfections on curved surfaces, such as contact lenses, leading to discomfort and reduced clarity. Researchers overcame this obstacle by designing a thin coating that smooths out surface imperfections while maintaining both shape and clarity.

The ideal patients for these 3D-printed lenses

This 3D printing technology only produces hard contact lenses, which Tang said are typically ideal for individuals whose vision cannot be adequately corrected with soft lenses. This can include those with irregular corneas (such as keratoconus), high or irregular astigmatism, corneal scarring or complications following eye surgery.

"Because these conditions vary widely from person to person, rigid/hard contact lenses must be individually fitted by qualified optometrists to ensure optimal vision, comfort and eye health," Tang said.

An optometrist can determine whether you require hard contact lenses instead of soft ones.

Future testing and commercialization

During lab testing with human corneal epithelial cells, the team confirmed that the 3D-printed contact lenses are safe to use without causing harm, but they are preparing to conduct additional studies and later market the product.

According to Tang, the Waterloo team believes their technology will make customized rigid contact lenses more affordable. Today, these commercial lenses cost anywhere from $500 to $1,500, including a professional fitting, follow-up appointments and the lenses themselves.

"We envision that our technology can help democratize access to rigid contact lenses by reducing their cost and simplifying the fitting process," Tang said.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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ANNA GRAGERT

Senior Editor, Health and Home

Anna Gragert (she/her/hers) was previously the lifestyle editor at HelloGiggles, the deputy editor at So Yummy and the senior lifestyle editor at Hunker. Over the past 12 years, Anna has also written for the LA Times, Elle, Bust Magazine, Dazed, Apartment Therapy, Well+Good and more. At CNET, she's a senior editor on the Healthy Home team, and her coverage includes health, wellness tech, meal kits and home and kitchen tech with a focus on the technology that aims to help us live our healthiest, happiest lives. See full bio