How do smart contact lenses work, and when will they be available?

The answer

Smart contact lenses are advancing across two fronts: health monitoring and augmented reality display. Mojo Vision developed a lens with a 14,000 pixels-per-inch micro-LED display (the world's smallest) built into a scleral lens, though the company pivoted to selling its micro-LED technology in 2023 after funding challenges. In health monitoring, Sensimed's Triggerfish lens (FDA-approved) continuously measures intraocular pressure for glaucoma patients over 24 hours. Google's glucose-monitoring lens (shelved in 2018) is being revived by startups like InWith Corporation. South Korea's Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) demonstrated in 2024 a soft smart lens with biosensors and wireless power that monitors glucose and intraocular pressure simultaneously. The main challenges are power delivery (most use wireless NFC), biocompatibility, and achieving useful display resolution at the eye's focusing distance.