Dr. Abhishek Mandal, Ph.D.

Senior Business Adviser, Vision Science Academy, London, U.K.

Vision Science Academy Exclusive

A careful monitoring of blood glucose levels is highly essential for a diabetic patient’s health and safety. Checking blood glucose and tracking its daily record should be a top priority in the management of diabetes. Most of the people are currently familiar with the blood tests for diabetes in which venous blood sample is drawn from a person while glucose levels are determined in the laboratory. Alternatively, glucometer testing can be conducted at home where a person pricks their own finger and puts a drop of blood on the strip. The device then reads your blood glucose concentration accurately. However, modern scientific innovations are changing this scenario and many new approaches are being introduced for screening and surveillance of diabetic changes that tend to engulf the human vision.

What is a Biosensor?

A biosensor is a compact analytical device which is used to recognize the biological or biologically derived elements by means of its physiochemical properties. Electrochemical sensors have also been devised for monitoring of diabetes. They are commonly used owing to their high sensitivity, easy maintenance, and cost-effectiveness (Falk, Psotta, Cirovic, & Shleev, 2020).

Glasses-based Biosensor

This type of biosensor was developed by Brazilian scientists in collaboration with the American scientists. It is capable of detecting an enzyme known as glucose oxidase which is normally found in body fluids. We can also measure blood alcohol and vitamin levels with the help of such biosensors.

When tears come into contact with glucose oxidase, it starts altering the flow of electrons. This mechanism produces a signal which is then recorded and processed by a device fixed within the arms of the glasses. In no time, these signals send results to a computer or a smartphone. This biosensor has completely eliminated the need of finger pricking (Li et al., 2021).

NovioSense Glucose Monitor

It is a small metallic device which consists of a miniature flexible coil. This coil is covered with a hydrogel layer. The device needs to be placed under the eyelids where it can be left for several hours. It provides results much similar to the standard blood glucose testing with a continuous glucose monitoring. Majority of the patients seldom report any kind of discomfort (Geelhoed-Duijvestijn et al., 2020).

The working of this device is very similar to that of glasses-based glucose biosensor but with some notable differences. The hydrogel contains the glucose oxidase enzyme. In the presence of glucose, this enzyme releases electrical signals which are then picked up by the Nano sensors in the metallic coil. Currently, this device is in phase II trials, and with the addition of a microchip, NovioSense glucose monitor can wirelessly transfer data to a computer or to a smartphone.

With the growing prevalence of diabetes each year, people are constantly trying to find the least noninvasive methods for monitoring their blood glucose levels. In this context, glasses-based biosensor and NovioSense glucose monitor are two promising options.

References

Falk, M., Psotta, C., Cirovic, S., & Shleev, S. (2020). Non-Invasive Electrochemical Biosensors Operating in Human Physiological Fluids. 20(21), 6352.

Geelhoed-Duijvestijn, P., Vegelyte, D., Kownacka, A., Anton, N., Joosse, M., & Wilson, C. (2020). Performance of the Prototype NovioSense Noninvasive Biosensor for Tear Glucose in Type 1 Diabetes. Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, 1932296820964844. doi:10.1177/1932296820964844

Li, P., Lee, G.-H., Kim, S. Y., Kwon, S. Y., Kim, H.-R., & Park, S. (2021). From Diagnosis to Treatment: Recent Advances in Patient-Friendly Biosensors and Implantable Devices. ACS nano.