Google's Smart Contact Lens For Diabetes Measures Glucose Levels By Analyzing Wearer's Tears; But When Will It Be Available?

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diabetes
How To Control Blood Sugar Levels

Managing diabetes may no longer be like having a part-time job, as Google is reportedly working on a smart contact lens project that will contain a glucose sensor that will measure glucose levels in diabetics.

In a recent patent application, Google touted potential designs for how it could package a smart contact lens, hinting the project could be further along than thought.

Google's smart contact lens will reportedly measure glucose levels in diabetics simply by analyzing their tears, and it is expected to be on the market before 2019, according to reports on The Indian Express.

In 2014 Google announced that it was working on a lens that would be capable of measuring a wearer's glucose levels by analyzing their tears. Moreover, the lens could potentially remove the need for diabetics to prick their fingers in order to draw blood to check their blood-sugar levels.

The search engine giant has earlier said that general availability of the contact lens is most probably at least five years away. That being said, considering that it is still in the research phase, it is quite interesting move on Google's part to apply for a patent on how to package the product for consumers.

However, according to a representative for Google, product releases cannot be inferred from patent applications, according to Quartz.

The Web giant has so far been awarded 44 patents involving contact lenses, and also has another 53 patents that it has applied for, and this clearly indicates that work on the lens in the Google X research lab is certainly on.

In Jan, 2014, Google announced that it has developed a smart contact lens prototype containing a glucose sensor. Google has even said earlier that it is in talks with the US Food and Drug administration about potentially testing its lens. 

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