A group of DARPA-funded researchers have come up with a telescopic contact lens that can offer the viewer up to 2.8x zoom. Led by University of California professor Joseph Ford, the team were able to implement tightly-fitting mirror surfaces into the 1mm thick lens which, as a result, can now offer dual modality. Through the use of liquid crystals, the user can easily switch between the magnifying portion of the contact lens along the rim, or the unmagnified portion in the centre. While these new lenses are an incredible achievement, it may be a while until they become available to the consumer as the material currently used isn’t gas permeable, so the patient wouldn’t be able to wear them for extended periods of time. There are also still some issues with the quality of the zoomed image.