Tübingen, Germany – Furtwangen University (HFU) recently celebrated its 175th anniversary with an event dedicated to innovation and interdisciplinary partnerships. Among the highlights was a groundbreaking project showcasing successful collaboration between HFU and the Applied Vision Research Group at the Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tübingen. This initiative is funded by the Carl Zeiss-Stiftung through the program "Intelligent Solutions for an Aging Society" within the funding line "Breakthroughs at Universities 2020".

Innovative Solutions for Age-Related Vision Challenges

Prof. Dr. Volker Bucher, Vice Dean for Research and Technology Transfer at HFU and Head of the HFU Research Center in Rottweil, presented his team’s pioneering work in applied vision technologies. The project addresses one of the most widespread age-related visual challenges: presbyopia, the gradual loss of the eye’s ability to focus on near objects.
While the young eye adjusts its refractive power by shaping the elastic lens through the ciliary muscle, this ability diminishes with age. By 40 to 50 years, the near point recedes to about 50 cm, and by 70, sharp near vision becomes nearly impossible.
Although presbyopia is not a disease, its impact is enormous—affecting around 2 billion people worldwide. Current solutions such as reading glasses, contact lenses, or intraocular lenses do not replicate the natural accommodation of the young eye.

A Biomimetic Approach to Restoring Vision

Building on previous research at Tübingen, which demonstrated that novel contact lens electrodes can measure electrical potential changes in the ciliary muscle during accommodation, the joint project aims to develop biomimetic wireless contact or intraocular lenses. These lenses will imitate the natural accommodation ability of the young eye, restoring visual freedom and independence in everyday life for presbyopes.

Celebrating Collaboration and Impact

The anniversary celebration, attended by numerous guests including Petra Olschowski, Minister for Science, Research and the Arts in Baden-Württemberg, provided an excellent platform to showcase this innovative collaboration and its potential impact on future ophthalmic care.
This joint effort represents a significant step toward restoring natural vision for millions worldwide and underscores the transformative power of interdisciplinary research.