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Khalifa University of Science and Technology, a top research university in Abu Dhabi, has developed a new method of using 3D printing to create custom glasses that could help people with color blindness.
Color vision deficiency (CVD) is an inherited eye disease that limits the ability of retinal cone cells to transmit the full spectrum of color. Since red-green color blindness is the most prevalent form of CVD, the most common way to deal with everyday difficulties is to wear tinted glasses.
A team of researchers at Khalifa University developed the lenses using a transparent resin mixed with two wavelength-filtering dyes to provide a tinted effect. To customize the lenses and make them as similar as possible to commercially available products, the team used two dyes—one to block unwanted wavelengths for red-green patients, and another to filter unwanted wavelengths for yellow-blue patients, Both groups had volunteers to demonstrate the efficacy of the lenses.
Although glasses based on this approach are currently commercially available, they are not comfortable to wear and cannot be optimized. However, the Khalifa University research team has developed its own frame for the lenses, using 3D printing to optimise the comfort and usability of the frame, making it as close as possible to regular eyeglasses.
Dr Haider Butt, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Khalifa University, said: “Our results show that 3D printing has no effect on the wavelength filtering properties of the dye. In fact, the dye is bound to the resin and 3D printed, so it remains unchanged.
“When we compared the optical performance of our glasses with commercial glasses for color blindness, our results showed that our 3D printed glasses were more selective than commercial glasses in filtering unwanted wavelengths. They have enormous potential in treating color blindness. potential, and their ease of manufacture and customization means they can be tailored to each patient.”
The glasses have undergone numerous tests to address toxicity, durability and longevity. The tests included storing the glasses in water for more than a week to analyze if any dyes would leak, and leaving them in the open air for a week at ambient conditions. Glasses exhibit tensile strength and flexibility, demonstrating their stability and durability.
The findings from Khalifa University offer colorblind people an opportunity to lighten the shades in which they cannot distinguish certain colors, which may limit their work in areas critical to color recognition outside of performing everyday tasks.
The research was funded by organisations in Abu Dhabi, including real estate developer Aldar Properties and social initiative Sandooq Al Watan. – arab trade news agency
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