WATERLOO (Canada): Made-to-order rigid contact lenses could one day be produced by 3D printers in as little as 20 minutes, researchers say.

That means customised lenses could someday be designed, manufactured and dispensed during a single visit to the optometrist, according to a report in Materials & Design.

“We are very excited about this work because it brings us closer to contact lenses that are truly personalised,” study leader Dr Shirley Tang of the University of Waterloo, in the Canadian province of Ontario, said in a statement.

“Our technology produces lenses with patient-specific surfaces for a precise fit while delivering the optical clarity and mechanical performance expected of commercial contact lenses.

The inner surface of the lens will precisely match the patient’s cornea and the outer surface will be shaped to provide the required vision correction, her team said. Silicone the conventional material used in contact lenses is generally not compatible with 3D printing, so the researchers developed a new silicone formulation.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2026