Wearable Contact Lens Biosensors for Continuous Glucose Monitoring Using Smartphones
Open accessAbstract
Low-cost, robust, and reusable continuous glucose monitoring systems that can provide quantitative measurements at point-of-care settings is an unmet medical need. Optical glucose sensors require complex and time-consuming fabrication processes, and their readouts are not practical for quantitative analyses. Here, a wearable contact lens optical sensor was created for the continuous quantification of glucose at physiological conditions, simplifying the fabrication process and facilitating smartphone readouts. A photonic microstructure having a periodicity of 1.6 μm was printed on a glucose-selective hydrogel film functionalized with phenylboronic acid. Upon binding with glucose, the microstructure volume swelled, which modulated the periodicity constant. The resulting change in the Bragg diffraction modulated the space between zero- and first-order spots. A correlation was established between the periodicity constant and glucose concentration within 0–50 mM. The sensitivity of the sensor was 12 nm mM–1, and the saturation response time was less than 30 min. The sensor was integrated with commercial contact lenses and utilized for continuous glucose monitoring using smartphone camera readouts. The reflected power of the first-order diffraction was measured via a smartphone application and correlated to the glucose concentrations. A short response time of 3 s and a saturation time of 4 min was achieved in the continuous monitoring mode. Glucose-sensitive photonic microstructures may have applications in point-of-care continuous monitoring devices and diagnostics at home settings.
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Other contact lens-based optical sensors have involved the use of photonic crystal materials in combination with responsive hydrogels or fluorescent dyes for measuring glucose and other target analytes in tears.
“Other contact lens-based optical sensors have involved the use of photonic crystal materials in combination with responsive hydrogels or fluorescent dyes for measuring glucose and other target analytes in tears110-113.”
From Wearable biosensors for healthcare monitoring (2019) · cites this paper as [112]
The hydrogel-based contact lens device offers fast and easy fabrication along with a rapid and sensitive glucose response.
“This device offers fast and easy fabrication along with a rapid and sensitive glucose response.”
From Wearable biosensors for healthcare monitoring (2019) · cites this paper as [112]
Another recent advance in wearable contact lens biosensors involved the use of smartphones for optical continuous glucose monitoring.
“Another recent advance in wearable contact lens biosensors involved the use of smartphones for optical continuous glucose monitoring112.”
From Wearable biosensors for healthcare monitoring (2019) · cites this paper as [112]
A hydrogel-based sensor with photonic microstructure was attached on top of a commercial contact lens and the reflective power was recorded using a smartphone in response to changes in the tears glucose levels.
“A hydrogel-based sensor with photonic microstructure was attached on top of a commercial contact lens and the reflective power was recorded using a smartphone in response to changes in the tears glucose levels (Fig. 5d).”
From Wearable biosensors for healthcare monitoring (2019) · cites this paper as [112]
A fluidic platform was suggested by the Butt group for integration with an optical monitoring system, but has not been demonstrated for biosensing applications.
“Such a fluidic platform was suggested by the Butt group112 for integration with an optical monitoring system, but has not been demonstrated for biosensing applications.”
From Wearable biosensors for healthcare monitoring (2019) · cites this paper as [112]
The use of mobile devices and smartphone-based microscopes, including algorithm-based applications, is expected to facilitate the readout of the response in optical wearable biosensors.
“Furthermore, the use of mobile devices and smartphone-based microscopes, including algorithm-based applications, is expected to facilitate the readout of the response in optical wearable biosensors112,113,195.”
From Wearable biosensors for healthcare monitoring (2019) · cites this paper as [112]
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“The newer representatives include, for example, where the sensor is built onto commercial contact lenses (Figure 1k) [22].”
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- Authors
- Elsherif, M., Hassan, M. U., Yetisen, A. K., & Butt, H.
- Affiliations
- Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EG)
- COMSATS University Islamabad (PK)
- University of Birmingham (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Elsherif, Mohamed
- Butt, Haider
- Venue
- ACS Nano
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2018-05-11
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 5452-5462
- ISSN
- 1936-0851 (ISSN-L)
- 1936-086X
- PMC
- PMC6107296
- OpenAlex
- W2799880241
- Cited by
- 371
- References
- 43
- Citations by year
- 2026: 26 · 2025: 42 · 2024: 44 · 2023: 49 · 2022: 63 · 2021: 68 · 2020: 39 · 2019: 35 · 2018: 5
- FWCI
- 14.06
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- ACS Nano (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Spiral (Imperial College London) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Wellcome Trust (NA)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Advanced Fiber Optic Sensors
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Photonic Crystals and Applications
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Electrochemical sensors and biosensors
- Keywords
- continuous glucose monitoring, optical glucose sensor, photonic microstructures, Bragg diffraction, phenylboronic acid, smartphone readout, point-of-care testing, hydrogel swelling, first-order diffraction
- MeSH terms
- Smartphone, Wearable Electronic Devices, Contact Lenses, Glucose, Humans, Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring, Biosensing Techniques
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