A Contact Lens That Could Help Cure Depression
- Seoyoung Kang
- Jun 12
- 1 min read
June 12, 2026
Seoyoung Kang
Depressive disorder, commonly known as depression, is widespread, especially in South Korea. According to data received from the National Health Insurance Service, the number of depression patients in Korea increased by 47% from approximately 752,000 in 2018 to approximately 1,106,000 in 2024. Although the prevalence of depression is high, the actual rate of receiving mental health treatment is very low compared to developed countries due to prejudice and social stigma.
Luckily, a research team at Yonsei University announced a new technology to treat depression without the support of counseling or medicine. When the patient wears a lens, depression symptoms may be treated. A platinum electrode thinner than a hair and a sophisticated antenna are embedded in an ordinary contact lens. It is made with flexible materials and does not block their view.
Two high-frequency currents coming from the lens meet and turn into a low-frequency current in the retina inside the eye. The electric signals applied to the retina travel through the optic nerve network and stimulate the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, which are the usual targets for treating depression. Through animal experiments, researchers found that the weakened brain neural network’s synapses were strengthened again, brain neurotrophic factors increased, and inflammation levels decreased.
The researchers who confirmed the effect in the experiment plan to carry out tests on primates within this year and aim to start clinical trials within three years.
