Northwestern University, $5,000
Cataract surgery involves the removal of the patient’s cloudy intraocular lens and the implantation of an artificial lens. Often, however, patients still need to wear glasses after surgery due to anatomical differences between their eyes and the artificial lens. This team is developing a higher-performing intraocular lens that is individually tailored to each patient and custom 3D-printed. An ophthalmologist will generate an accurate 3D map of the cornea and anterior segment of the eye, which will then be used as a blueprint for a lens that can be exported to a 3D printer and prototyped.