Tears of joy for diabetes patients!

TORONTO - There is great news for diabetics. A revolutionary technology is on its way to help them measure blood sugar levels without drawing blood daily.

The diabetes patients may soon be able to wear contact lenses that will continuously alert them to changes in their blood sugar level by changing their colours.

Developed by biochemical engineering professor Jin Zhang at the University of Western Ontario in Hamilton near here, the non-invasive technology uses extremely small nano-particles embedded into the hydrogel lenses.

These engineered nano-particles react with glucose molecules found in tears, causing a chemical reaction that changes their colour.

These technologies have other potential applications beyond biomedical devices, including for food packaging, a statement by the university said Thursday.

Nano-composite films can prevent food spoilage by preventing oxygen, carbon dioxide and moisture from reaching fresh meats and other foods, or by measuring pathogenic contamination, the statement said.

Zhang is carrying on further research to perfect these technologies using multifunctional nano-composites.