A startup has created contact lenses that measure glucose through tears, see in the dark, have zoom capabilities, promise to replace the smartphone, are already valued at $1.35 billion, and plan to launch everything by the end of 2026.

Written by Flavia Marinho

Published on 20/04/2026 at 20:04

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Thinner than a hair, the smart lenses from XPANCEO combine augmented reality, health sensors, and wireless connectivity into something that fits in the eye

A Dubai-based company is developing something that seems to have come out of a science fiction movie. These are contact lenses, the kind we put in our eyes, that do much more than correct vision.

They measure glucose through tears, monitor eye pressure, see in the dark, have zoom capabilities, and even connect to a mobile phone via NFC.

The company is called XPANCEO, raised $250 million in a single investment round, and is already valued at $1.35 billion.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

What these lenses can do

XPANCEO has already presented six different prototypes of smart lenses at technology events around the world.

Each prototype does something different — but the goal is to combine everything into one lens.

One of them analyzes tears in real-time and detects levels of glucose, cortisol, hormones, and even vitamins B and D, all without pricking the finger.

Another measures the pressure inside the eye with 50% more accuracy than current methods, which is crucial for those with glaucoma.

There is also a prototype with night vision and another with optical zoom, using nanoparticles embedded in the lens.

Young person inserting smart contact lens with holographic interface reflection — *Person inserting a smart contact lens that projects a subtle digital interface onto the iris.*

Thinner than a hair

What impresses most is the size. The lenses are thinner than a human hair and made with flexible materials that adapt to the shape of the eye.

The radiation emitted is comparable to that of a common earphone, according to the company.

The energy comes from a small external device that wirelessly charges the lens, similar to a Bluetooth earphone case.

All the heavy processing happens outside the lens; it only collects data and transmits it to the mobile phone or charging device.

Laboratory table with prototypes of smart contact lenses in cases — *Prototypes of smart lenses in XPANCEO’s laboratory during development.*

A $250 million round — the largest in wearable history

XPANCEO closed a Series A investment round of $250 million, the largest ever made in the world in augmented reality and wearables.

With this, the company achieved unicorn status, valued at $1.35 billion.

It is the 12th unicorn from the United Arab Emirates.

The investment was led by the Asian fund Opportunity Venture, the same one that participated in the previous round of $40 million.

When will it be available for purchase

The company aims to unify all prototypes into a single commercial lens by the end of 2026.

But experts warn that the path from prototype to consumer product is often long.

Health regulatory approvals, large-scale clinical trials, and mass manufacturing are steps that can take years.

Can a lens really replace a smartphone?

XPANCEO’s promise is ambitious: to replace smartphones, smartwatches, and even augmented reality glasses with something invisible in the eye.

Whether this will happen or not, it is still too early to say.

But the fact that a contact lens can already measure glucose through tears and transmit data wirelessly shows that the future of wearable technology may be closer than we think.

A startup has created contact lenses that measure glucose through tears, see in the dark, have zoom capabilities, promise to replace the smartphone, are already valued at $1.35 billion, and plan to launch everything by the end of 2026.

Thinner than a hair, the smart lenses from XPANCEO combine augmented reality, health sensors, and wireless connectivity into something that fits in the eye

What these lenses can do

Thinner than a hair

A $250 million round — the largest in wearable history

When will it be available for purchase

Can a lens really replace a smartphone?

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A startup has created contact lenses that measure glucose through tears, see in the dark, have zoom capabilities, promise to replace the smartphone, are already valued at $1.35 billion, and plan to launch everything by the end of 2026.

Thinner than a hair, the smart lenses from XPANCEO combine augmented reality, health sensors, and wireless connectivity into something that fits in the eye

What these lenses can do

Thinner than a hair

A $250 million round — the largest in wearable history

When will it be available for purchase

Can a lens really replace a smartphone?

A village with 115 inhabitants wants new residents: it offers a house, a job, up to 44 thousand euros in benefits, almost free rent, an annual grant of 8 thousand euros for 3 years, and a 20 thousand euro incentive for businesses in the mountains of Italy.

NASA is offering US$ 750,000 to people from anywhere in the world who solve a problem that could decide survival on Mars: creating food for astronauts without relying on resupply from Earth.

Elon Musk’s internet comes to mobile: Starlink technology connects smartphones without an antenna via satellite, works even without carrier signal, already costs just US$10 extra in the US, and could arrive in Brazil as an included benefit.

While countries spend billions to draw water from the sea, a Nobel-winning scientist creates a container-sized machine that extracts up to 1,000 liters per day from dry air and uses ultrasound to release water in minutes, even in the middle of the desert.

After 16 years and almost 600 prototypes, a Chinese inventor unveils the world’s smallest and cheapest manned jet, at just 3.80 meters long and costing US$7.2 thousand in materials.

Belgium will sink 23 giant concrete caissons, each weighing 22,000 tons, in the North Sea to build the world’s first artificial energy island 45 km off the coast, forming offshore electrical walls.

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