Tears may replace blood in diabetics' testing
American Chemical Society is reporting that scientists have successfully tested a sensor that can measure blood sugar levels from tears instead of blood, an advancement that could save diabetics from having to prick their fingers over and over.
The scientists say about 5 percent of the world’s population, which amounts to 26 million people in the United States, have diabetes and the number is growing.
Many of them now have to collect a blood drop multiple times a day and check it. The pain could be enough to discourage testing, said Mark Meyerhoff, a chemical professor at the University of Michigan.
That’s why he and others began looking for an alternative, a sensor they’ve tested on rabbits.
“Thus, it may be possible to measure tear glucose levels multiple times per day to monitor blood glucose changes without the potential pain from the repeated invasive blood drawing method,” said the researcher in a report that is published in the journal Analytical Chemistry.
AFP/Getty photo
