MXene materials pave the way for next-generation smart contact lenses

As wearable health technologies evolve, smart contact lenses (SCLs) are emerging as powerful platforms for non-invasive, real-time ocular diagnostics. Now, researchers from Istanbul Okan University and Istinye University, led by Prof. Ali Zarrabi and Dr. Siavash Iravani, have presented a comprehensive review on MXene-based smart contact lenses, highlighting their transformative potential in vision care and ophthalmic health monitoring. This work outlines how MXenes-2D transition metal carbides-can revolutionize contact lens functionality through biosensing, therapy, and user comfort.

Why MXene-based contact lenses matter

• Multifunctionality: Enable real-time monitoring of intraocular pressure (IOP), glucose, and inflammation, while offering photothermal therapy and antimicrobial protection.
• High performance: Transparent MXene films provide excellent electrical conductivity, mechanical flexibility, and biocompatibility.
• Therapeutic potential: Support drug delivery, anti-inflammatory action, and even electromagnetic shielding for eye protection.

Innovative design and features

• Material integration: MXenes like Ti₃C₂T_x are embedded into lens substrates for strain sensing, photothermal conversion, and optical transparency.
• Self-powered sensing: MXene-based micro-supercapacitors and piezoresistive sensors enable continuous, battery-free IOP monitoring.
• Smart therapeutics: MXene coatings reduce inflammation, prevent bacterial adhesion, and enhance post-surgical healing in intraocular lenses (IOLs).

Applications and future outlook

• Clinical monitoring: Demonstrated 0.014 mmHg^-1 sensitivity in IOP sensors and 33.21 mV mmHg^-1 in crack-enhanced MXene–CNT lenses.
• Real-time feedback: Integrated with wireless modules and AI for smartphone-based health alerts and personalized diagnostics.
• Challenges and opportunities: Key hurdles include long-term biostability, scalable synthesis, and maintaining optical clarity. Future efforts will focus on fluorine-free MXene production, surface functionalization, and clinical validation.

This review establishes MXene-based smart contact lenses as a promising frontier in digital ophthalmic healthcare, offering a convergence of biosensing, therapy, and comfort in a single wearable platform.