In-situ tear sample collection and testing using a contact lens

Abstract

Apparatus, systems and methods employing contact lenses having one or more sensor that sense an analyte in tear fluid and one or more recesses that collect the tear fluid. In some aspects, a contact lens includes a substrate that forms at least part of a body of the contact lens and a recess formed within the substrate configured to collect tear fluid when the contact lens is worn. The contact lens further includes at least one sensor disposed within the substrate configured to sense presence of an analyte in the collected tear fluid.

1 . A contact lens, comprising:
 a substrate that forms at least part of a body of the contact lens;   a recess formed within the substrate, configured to collect and store tear fluid when the contact lens is worn on an eye and store the collected tear fluid when the contact lens is removed from the eye, said recess having a closed end; and   at least one sensor disposed within the substrate configured to sense presence of an analyte in the collected tear fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The contact lens of  claim 1 , further comprising, a plurality of recesses formed within the substrate configured to collect and store tear fluid when the contact lens is worn on an eye and store the collected tear fluid when the contact lens is removed from the eye, each of said recesses forming a closed end. 
     
     
         3 . The contact lens of  claim 1 , wherein the recess is formed at or about a perimeter of the contact lens. 
     
     
         4 . The contact lens of  claim 1 , wherein the recess has a depth spanning about a thickness of a cross-sectional area of the substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The contact lens of  claim 4 , wherein the recess has a depth within a range of about 50 to about 400 μm. 
     
     
         6 . The contact lens of  claim 1 , wherein the recess has a depth within a range of about 10 to about 75 μm. 
     
     
         7 . The contact lens of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is located within the recess. 
     
     
         8 . The contact lens of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is located adjacent to the recess and wherein the recess includes an opening through which the tear fluid is dispensed and contacts the at least one sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The contact lens of  claim 1 , wherein the recess collects the tear fluid via capillary action. 
     
     
         10 . The contact lens of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is an electrochemical sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The contact lens of  claim 1 , comprising a transmitter configured to transmit data relating to a sensed analyte in the tear fluid. 
     
     
         12 . The contact lens of  claim 1 , comprising a processor configured to determine a concentration of a sensed analyte in the tear fluid. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 collecting and storing tear fluid in a cavity disposed within a body of a contact lens when the contact lens is worn on an eye, the cavity having a closed end;   storing the collected tear fluid in the cavity when the contact lens is removed from the eye; and   detecting presence of at least one analyte in the collected tear fluid via at least one sensor located within the body of the contact lens.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising transmitting data relating to a detected analyte in the tear fluid. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising determining a concentration of a sensed analyte in the tear fluid. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising dispensing a portion of the tear fluid from the cavity via an opening so that the portion of the tear fluid contacts the at least one sensor. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the collecting the tear fluid comprises collecting the tear fluid in the cavity via capillary action. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising transmitting data related to the presence or concentration of the sensed analyte to a remote device. 
     
     
         19 . A contact lens, comprising:
 a tear fluid collection recess formed in a substrate that forms at least part of a body of the contact lens and configured to collect tear fluid when the contact lens is worn, the recess having a closed end;   at least one sensor configured to sense presence of one or more analytes in the tear fluid;   a processor configured to determine a concentration of the one or more analytes; and   a transmitter configured to transmit information relating to the presence or the concentration of the one or more analytes to an external device.   
     
     
         20 . The contact lens of  claim 19 , further comprising a memory that stores information relating to the type or the concentration of the one or more analytes.