Scientists in Belgium have developed a prototype contact lens with electronics inserted into it. At the moment it's targeted at releasing drugs into the eyes at intervals, but the team at the University of Ghent say that's just the start. CGTN's Jack Parrock went to take a look.

This tiny, gold ring potentially represents a huge leap forward for medical and electronic technology. Scientists here in Ghent have worked out a way to put it onto your eye.

DR. ANDRES FELIPE VASQUEZ GHENT UNIVERSITY "We were able to embed completely the platform inside the hydrogel contact lens."

It's the first time electronics are being inserted into the same material as normal contact lenses - hydrogel. Japanese commercial partner for this project SEED is producing the traditional contact lens part.

JACK PARROCK GHENT, BELGIUM "The team here in Ghent have been working on this project for three-and-a-half years in this clean room. It's a space with as little dust in it as possible. And they have to do it in here because the electronics that they're using are a maximum of 10 micrometers in width. That's half the width of a human hair. And while they're putting it all together, even the smallest dust particle getting in could ruin the whole process."

But what's the point in all this? Researchers say the electronics can test for disease and will also eventually be able to release drugs into eyes suffering from lifelong conditions.

DR. ANDRES FELIPE VASQUEZ GHENT UNIVERSITY "So at the moment we work on contact lenses but this same technology can be applied for example to inter-ocular lenses or to other types of implants that can go into the brain or into the heart, or into different parts of the body."

The team here wants a smaller, flexible battery and to make it last longer - therefore expanding into additional functions. But that brings with it ethical concerns.

PROF. HERBERT DE SMET GHENT UNIVERSITY "If you make something you want it to be safe, not being able to be hacked, so these are concerns that of course they will come to the foreground later. Now the functionality we are targeting, from an electronic or software point of view, very basic. But this will evolve and at a certain time these aspects will come into play."

If beauty's in the eye of the beholder, then tech fans might love this advancement, but others might blink before they're convinced. Jack Parrock, CGTN, Gent.