University of Waterloo 3D Prints Custom Contact Lenses in 20 Minutes

Most contact lenses sold today come from a small set of standard sizes. Patients with irregularly shaped corneas need custom rigid lenses, and the fitting process can drag on for weeks or even months. Researchers at the University of Waterloo built a digital manufacturing platform that uses 3D printing to cut that timeline down to roughly 20 minutes per lens.

A New Silicone for Additive Manufacturing

Silicone is the material of choice for contact lenses because it is biocompatible and highly oxygen permeable. Conventional silicone formulations do not work with vat polymerization or material extrusion processes, so the Waterloo team developed a new hydrophilic silicone formulation designed specifically for 3D printing. The material builds layer by layer while retaining the optical clarity and mechanical softness a contact lens requires.

After printing, tiny stair-step artifacts can appear on curved surfaces. The team added an ultra-thin, non-contact coating to smooth the surface without changing the lens shape or its prescription. Laboratory tests confirmed the result is biocompatible and comfortable enough for extended wear.

Toward Same-Day Fittings

The researchers envision a workflow where an optometrist scans a patient's cornea, the software generates a custom lens design, and the printer produces the finished lens during the appointment. That kind of same-day service would eliminate the multi-week fitting cycle that many irregular-cornea patients currently endure.

The team is preparing for in vivo studies and filing a full patent application for their silicone material. They are working with the Centre for Vision and Eye Research to advance the technology toward commercialization. The project recently won a gold medal at the 2026 Shanghai International Exhibition of Inventions. Regulatory approval will take time, but the proof-of-concept is already a significant step forward for personalized medical devices.