Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 17: Researchers have developed a new 3D-printing technology that could enable customised rigid contact lenses to be produced in as little as 20 minutes, paving the way for patients to receive personalised lenses during a single visit to an optometrist. In a separate study, scientists have also warned that newly identified tick-borne viruses may pose a future health risk due to their ability to evade the human immune system.
According to a study published in Materials & Design, researchers at the University of Waterloo in Canada have created a novel manufacturing process capable of producing patient-specific rigid contact lenses with enhanced precision. The technology allows the inner surface of the lens to match the exact shape of an individual's cornea, while the outer surface is customised to provide the required vision correction.
As conventional silicone materials used in contact lenses are unsuitable for 3D printing, the research team developed a new hydrophilic silicone formulation that is compatible with the technology. They also introduced an ultra-thin coating process to smoothen the lens surface, eliminating microscopic imperfections that could affect comfort and optical clarity.
The customised lenses have so far been tested only under laboratory conditions. Researchers have filed a provisional patent for the new material and plan to begin clinical trials involving human participants. The innovation recently received a Gold Medal at the Shanghai International Exhibition of Inventions 2026.
Meanwhile, another study published in ACS Infectious Diseases has revealed how an emerging group of tick-borne nairoviruses may escape detection by the human immune system.
Researchers found that these viruses produce specialised enzymes capable of removing proteins that normally alert the body's immune system to an infection, allowing the viruses to remain undetected.
The study examined Pacific Coast tick nairovirus (PCTNV), which has been identified in ticks found along the US Pacific Coast but has not yet been reported in humans. Scientists cautioned that the virus is carried by tick species already known to transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever, raising concerns about possible future human exposure.
Researchers said the findings could help strengthen disease surveillance systems and support the development of new diagnostic tools and treatments for emerging tick-borne diseases. They also advised greater awareness of tick bites, noting that different tick species may carry a wider range of infectious diseases than previously recognised.