Contact lenses can not only provide excellent vision correction, but can be used to help manage ocular diseases and conditions such as dry eye or allergy by delivering drugs.  In addition, technology is now at the point where electronics are being added into lenses to help diagnose diseases and interact with virtual reality. However, the hope of these new smart contact lenses has often been blunted by the reality of market forces. 

 

In this presentation, we will provide an overview of advances in drug delivery contact lenses (with at least one now for sale) and explore the hurdles that have seen the development of many smart lenses being stopped.