PEC
&
Future Technology
Current
Antiepileptic Drugs
The most used current treatment is antiepileptic drugs. A commonly used one is phenobarbitone. It reduces seizures by reducing the spread of epileptic activity in neurons. Phenobarbitone has the following side effects: sedation, depression, and paradoxical hyperactivity. There are other treatments such as neurostimulation devices and photosensitive glasses.
Our Invention
Summary
PEC lenses combine photochromic contact lenses with miniature electrical components to create a non-invasive technology that prevents seizures. When the wearer enters an area with any presence of bright lights, the contact will react and begin to darken. Our contact lenses contain chips that will analyze the light. Then the results will be shown on a wearable device that announces it to the user.
Materials
Our contacts are made out of poly- (2 hydroxyethyl methacrylate), which is an excellent biocompatible hydrogel. It is transparent, oxygen-permeable and it works well with electrical components. For it to darken in the presence of bright light, it will be integrated with photochromic and thermochromic powders.
The Process
When the contact lenses detect bright light they will begin to darken and block out the light. The first chip will detect it through the temperature change caused by the contact absorbing the light. Then it will signal to the other chip to alert that the wearer is being exposed to harmful bright light.
The chip receiving the signal is programmed with a database full of known light intensities, wavelengths, and frequencies ranges that are able to induce a seizure. It also will also know which colors pose more danger. Using this database, it'll begin to analyze the light presented and identify how much of a threat it is to the user.
There are three levels of danger that the chip can detect: safe, at risk, and unsafe. Once it has established the level of danger, it'll signal and transmit the information to a device worn on the wrist. This device will alert the user by displaying a message based on the danger level, announcing it through a speaker, and vibrating. The wearer will be successfully notified this way.