NEW DELHI– In a groundbreaking advancement that could reshape medical imaging and vision enhancement technologies, an international team led by Chinese scientists has developed contact lenses capable of allowing humans to see near-infrared light.
Published Thursday in the journal Cell, the study merges visual neuroscience with rare earth materials to create wearable, transparent lenses that convert normally invisible infrared wavelengths into visible light, according to China’s Xinhua news agency.
Human vision is limited to light wavelengths between 400 and 700 nanometers. This means the vast spectrum of near-infrared light—ranging from 700 to 2,500 nanometers—remains unseen, despite its powerful ability to penetrate biological tissue with minimal radiation exposure. This property makes near-infrared light especially valuable for medical diagnostics and imaging.
Scientists from the University of Science and Technology of China, Fudan University, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School engineered rare earth elements that can transform three distinct infrared wavelengths into red, green, and blue visible light. This enables the lenses to project what is normally invisible into a form recognizable to the human eye.
In earlier research, the team developed a nanomaterial that, when injected into the retinas of animals, enabled them to perceive infrared light. However, given the impracticality of retinal injections in humans, the focus shifted to designing a wearable, non-invasive solution—ultimately resulting in soft contact lenses embedded with modified rare earth nanoparticles.
These nanoparticles were specially treated to allow even dispersion in polymer solutions, allowing the team to fabricate ultra-transparent contact lenses. In human trials, volunteers wearing the lenses were able to perceive infrared patterns, decode time-based signals, and even distinguish between three different “colors” of near-infrared light—effectively expanding the human visual spectrum.
The researchers say the innovation could have far-reaching applications, from advanced medical imaging and information security to disaster rescue operations and treatment for color blindness. Unlike traditional night vision goggles, these lenses require no external power source and offer a more seamless and natural viewing experience, even in foggy or dusty environments.
Although still in the proof-of-concept phase, the scientists believe this breakthrough could revolutionize how humans perceive and interact with light beyond the visible spectrum, especially benefiting individuals with visual impairments.
“This development marks a significant step toward redefining the limits of human vision,” the study’s authors noted. (Source: IANS)
