Smart lenses, health's eyeopener?

That google is more than only a search service may be clear. Google X, is their lab where they are busy with technological innovations. Together with Novartis they came up with "smart contact lenses", which can do more than only help you see. The lenses are ment for people who have diabetes and in the later future hopefully also for people with presbyopia. The last one means being long sighted. The lenses will help them to focus on objects near by.

Credits: Google

Where is it produced and when is it launched? An official timescale for the product's development and commercialization has not been made public yet.
How does it work? The lenses measure blood sugar levels just by some tear fluid on the surface of the eyeball. After measuring the lenses send information to mobile phone apps. The engineers are also developing functions for long sighted people, so they don't need to wear glasses any more when they read. This will be possible by a "focus function" in the lenses through the camera.
Why does it work like that? The lenses work like this because they measure directly and constantly. The "focus function" in development will work with a camera, because this way it can take over the eye's disability.
Why is it cool? The lenses are an "eyeopener" (disclosure). That it will be possible to measure your blood level by your eyes is fascinating!   
What makes it new and innovative? The smart contact lenses are pioneering. Nowadays when you want to measure your blood level you have to use a needle and a measuring device. When you are long sighted you just have to use reading glasses. With these lenses that will be history. The technological combination with lenses is ahead of its time. We know the mobile phones, computers and watches who can transmist information, but lenses? That's new and innovative.
What is its future growth potential? It has a lot of potential for the future. Not only because of the enormous companies behind it (Google and Novartis), but  also because of the well designed, portable and high tech of these lenses. For diabetes patiënts and long sighted people this can be very helpful.
How does it improve quality of life? It will make lives of diabetes patiënts a lot easier. There will be no more needles and portable devices needed to measure there glucose. For people who are long sighted there will be no more reading glasses. Headaches will decrease, because the lenses will take over the eyes disability to focus on subjects near by.

For more information visit the used sources:

http://www.dutchcowboys.nl/google/32176
http://www.forbes.com/sites/leoking/2014/07/15/google-smart-contact-lens-focuses-on-healthcare-billions/
http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-07/15/google-smart-lens-novartis
Visited 26-9-2014