Researchers receive grant to develop color-changing contacts for diabetics
By Donald Melanson 
posted December 23rd 2009 10:16PM
posted December 23rd 2009 10:16PM
Contact lenses that act as a glucose monitoring system for diabetics aren't exactly a new idea, but it looks like a group of researchers from the University of Western Ontario might be a bit closer to making them a reality, as they've now received a $200,000+ grant from the Canada Foundation for Innovation to further develop the technology. The secret to their contacts are some "extremely small" nanoparticles that are embedded in the hydrogel lenses which, like some similar systems (such as those pictured at right), react to the glucose molecules in tears and cause a chemical reaction that changes the color of the lenses -- thereby informing the wearer when their blood sugar is too low or too high. What's more, the reseachers say the same basic idea could also have a wide range of other applications beyond glucose monitoring -- for instance, being used in food packaging to indicate if the food is spoiled or contaminated.[Thanks, Yuka]
How are they meant to see their own eyes...?
@s13vin4t0r
Mirror. Or, maybe it tints the vision?
@s13vin4t0r They have these things called mirrors...
@TheBrizz So along with all the other stuff diabetics carry around, they have to carry around a mirror?
Seriously, I know they can look in a mirror, but how many mirrors are there laying around in public?
@s13vin4t0r
They can just ask someone what color their eyes are. I am a diabetic and seriously this would be an amazing thing to have. Instead of having to test my blood sugar, I could either look in a mirror/reflective surface or just ask someone what color my eyes were! Awesome.
mirrors, puddles of water, spoons, most polished metallic surfaces, take a picture with a camera, ask someone around, again MIRRORS, a ComingSoon iPhone app, again MIRRORS....
Are you that insecure in yourself you don't own one???
@s13vin4t0r You'd be surprised the ways you can see your reflection.
@s13vin4t0r When we're talking about something that could act as a plain indicator of a serious, possibly life-threatening issue, carrying a pocket mirror does not seem like that much of a hassle.
@s13vin4t0r Seriously, have you ever seen yourself before? If not, I recommend you do it now. You would be quite surprise what you will see. And, oh by the way, you can use a mirror for that.
@s13vin4t0r The absolute first thing I thought about reading this is how much easier it would make the lives of people who take care a diabetic. I don't think it would ever take the place of a meter, but reduce the dependence on it, and could also serve as a great "major issue - call 911 now" signal.
@jin and guice
I have diabetes and I think this colour changing eye-thing is rediculous. First of all you don't carry a mirror every minute of the day with you, second I think this is a huge invasion of privacy. I don't want people to know that I have diabetes and I dont want them to know how high or low my blood sugar is! This is merely a proof-of-concept with no practical use. A watch or maybe a chip that sends a signal that is picked up by your phone...that would have been very interesting! I believe people weren't really thinking of diabetics when they tried to develope this...maybe they just wanted to give the whole thing a more serious touch to get the grant...besides that it would just be for fun applications - changing the colour of your eyes depending on your mood could admittedly be very cool :-)
@s13vin4t0r Or you could just ask someone what colour your eyes are.
@TikiTeko LOL. Hilarious dude :)
@MilesT really? i didn't know you had to check these "every minute" of your life.
Well earlier they talked about a device that used some sort of scan of the eye to read the levels, so that could be used for those not interested in this system, but if you like this system then why not make it available, there will always be a percentage of people who would want to use this.
And what's the big secret about your bloodsugar level anyway? And when did it become such a shameful thing to have diabetes? Although, maybe if you got it from overeating and you are round as a small moon, but then there's other evidence that you cannot hide eh.
@MilesT
It's not an invasion of privacy because there's no law making you use these for god's sake. If you don't like it, don't use it. Obviously they cannot make it just signal a watch because that requires some sort of signaling device, which would have to be a) transparent and b) fit inside a contact. The point of the device is that it needs to be somewhere that is both in contact with something that changes based on the body's glucose level and can send out some simple, effective signal.
But if you want to live in a world where everyone is out to get you, god knows no one here can stop you.
@MilesT
As a Grad student currently designing an in-vivo glucose sensor system I can tell you that this is an ingenious way to solve the problem of interstitial fluid detection with minimum invasiveness.
So you'd rather have optical fibers sticking through your skin, or medtronic's "plug" protruding from your abdomen than wear contact lenses? Really?
Cool eye colors based on the mood! Or weather... or current TV show.
Kinda wanna be diabetic now, I hope this becomes the new mood ring.
@Chuuchdizzle
No, you really don't. Me son is diabetic, and while it is a manageable disease, I would not wish it on my worst enemy. It is something that you must monitor constantly.
And certain forms will lead to loss of limbs and eventually an early death guaranteed, I'm told, nasty stuff.
@Chuuchdizzle
I also wish you were diabetic.
yeah, because I have such a great view of my own eyes at all times
@Agent007
Better than pricking your finger. Plus it could tint your vision.
@Agent007
There is this thing called a compact mirror. It is better than pricking your finger 6 to 10 times a day.
It's so weird that they always want you to use your fingertip, which has about a million more nerves than the rest of your hand and which is in constant contact with objects, objects that are also not clean, but the blood is the same everywhere obviously.
Lots of sadist in the medical field if you ask me, but you don't have to cater to them, you can prick somewhere else, as long as it has enough blood.
@Wwhat
Actually, the finger prick is pretty painless most of the time. It is a very fine pin and it just barely breaks the skin, and you do it on the side of the finger tip where there are fewer nerve endings. You just have to rotate which finger, and which side or it will start to get sore. Still a pain in the a$$ though.
This is what you need to inform people around you:
When my eyes are brown, I eat an apple.
When my eyes are green, I drink 2 glasses of orange juice.
When my eyes are blue, it is time to get some insulin shot.
When my eyes are psychedelic, please call 9-1-1.
(this is from the point of a hypoglycemic - like myself :S ) (I guess the scale will be different for hyperglycemia)
i want!
at least this is better than what the germans did back in WW2. (they tried to change the eye color by injecting some sort of color ink to the retina or something.... most test subjects died.)
@Twenty5 Jesus, must have been some ink :/
This would be great for the food industry.
Heh, now when you drink a Monster your eyes turn green. Can i has?
@J2800
"Don't make me angry,you wouldn't like me when I'm angry"
Eyes turn green..
" My god, that hot girl is going to talk to me"
Eyes turn red...
"I need to take a shit"
Eyes turn brown
" I'm deppresed..."
Eyes turn blue...
" I'm going to read engadget"
Eyes turn to apple...
" Oh shit, I forgot to tip Chuck Norris for my-"
If eyeballs are still in skull before Chuck rips it out of your sockets,
eyes turn to mercy....
The Possibilities are endless
I get why people think this is weird and want to make snarky comments and all, but as the father of a diabetic 5 year old, it would be really helpful if I looked at my son and noticed a change in the color of the lenses and knew he needed to eat something NOW, before his blood sugar got too low. Or that he needed insulin because it was too high. This is a good development. Kudos to the researchers working on it.
Nice to see some reality brought into the mix here, thanks for bothering to make a sensible post even though the environment might not have seem inviting :)
I totally didn't think of kids either, duh.
I'm told though that lenses have their issues, many people get painful eyes, and especially if there gets dust in them like in dusty environments, and they have to be constantly kept clean in cleaning solutions, so that's a bit of a hassle for a 5yo, and adults too, but especially for 5yo's.
And AFAIK they only last a certain amount of time so if they are special ones like this it might get costly.
But the healthcare bill was signed I hear, after removing abortion related assistance from it (typical religiously nutty USA stuff).
SICK! I never thought my university would be on engadget, hahaha.
@luckismySKILL
Hahaha, I hear you on that one. Apparently, if you didn't go to MIT or NC State, your school doesn't exist according to engadget.
All the people who are like "just ask someone what color your eyes are," have you thought that out?
"Excuse me, what color are my eyes?"
"Say what?"
"What color are my eyes?"
"Get your ass the hell away from me"
@Valicore +1
yeah i really can't see anyone asking strangers what color their eyes are, it has some good uses, your family and friend would soon catch on and tell you "hey get an apple, youre eyes just turned green"
@Valicore Let's hope they will never ask me, i am as color blind as can be! (and most of the time refuse to admit it so i will tell you the wrong color with a straight face)
"What color are my eyes?"
"Get your ass the hell away from me"
Uhm, did you just declare yourself to be ugly?
So this is why those twilight vampires have color-changing eyes when they get thirsty...
@Nienhan Thinking EXACTLY the same thing. Perhaps so were they.
Seriously better and more hygenic than pricking yourself with a needle every few hours.
But not much use to you if you are colour blind. :/
I'm diabetic and my only issue is that colored contacts don't work all that well when you're eyes are as dark as mine... And I'd rather carry a reflective surface than prick my finger 5 times a day... MUCH rather do that...
All they need to do now is sparkle.
bla bla bla:)
Our eyes can adjust the slight shift of the color, like even under the different light source, we still see green as green.
So, I think, instead of total coloring, why not, such as the green line
appeared in the centre. ( but not too destructive size )