PITTSBURGH (CBS) — Forty-million Americans wear contact lenses.

In the not so distant future, contacts may do a lot more than just help you see.

What if the lenses could look inside of you to diagnose, monitor and even treat disease? Sound far-fetched? Well, it may not be too far away.

The new generation of contact lenses is being called “smart lenses,” and they are packed with circuits, sensors and wireless technology – all designed to keep an eye on your health.

 

 

“There’s a possibility to develop a really, really important new tool for medicine,” said Babak Parviz, PH.D., the developer of the Smart Lens. A team of researchers at the University of Washington built and are testing the smart lens. They believe it could one day replace the standard blood test.