Scientists use gold contact lenses to shield the eye

A hydrogel-based soft contact lens which incorporates gold to shield the eye from lasers could offer all-day protection in working environments where high-powered light sources are used.

Researchers have described the technology in a new study published in Applied Materials Today.

Gold-based plasmonic nanoresonators are integrated into the lens polymer network, providing the material with high optical density while permitting visible light to be transmitted.

The lenses were shown to have “remarkable electromagnetic shielding” properties on exposure to high-powered lasers.

“The use of these hybrid lenses would provide the wearer with an all day long protection and a minimal obstruction to perform common tasks in those scenarios where high powered light sources are operated,” the authors highlighted.