SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA — We've seen advancements for your eyes go from glasses to contacts to laser surgery, but soon those could all be history. A Canadian optometrist has created a product called the "Ocumetic Bionic Lens" that can be implanted right onto the eye in a painless, eight minute procedure. Dr. Garth Webb presented his invention at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Convention in San Diego. He's spent three million dollars and eight years pefecting the device which can provide vision that is *three times* better than 20/20.
Dr. Webb's confidence is absolute, "I hate to say better than the natural lense- but it has more focusing capacity than the natural lens does. So if you ask how close can you get it to focus? Technically, I can make it so you can hold it right here and start to see the cells on your own fingertip."
Webb is partnering with biomedical manufacturer Manterra Technologies in British Columbia, where 50,000 bionic lenses could be made daily.
According to Webb, his lenses could even house an energy cell for a life-long projection system, which would open up even more possibilities: "It means we could literally turn the lens into a bluetooth that would take the place of your computer screen."
The lenses could be available in about two years, pending clinical trials and would cost about $3200 each.