The technology works by tapping into "basal tears," or a continuous stream of tears that don't require stimulation. According to Noviosense founder Christopher Wilson, contact lenses like Verily's tend to dry out an eye layer, pool up fluid and otherwise create an unreliable source of tears. And before you ask: yes, it should be comfortable. It can sit in the eyelid for long periods and won't pop out when you rub your eyes.

There's one main problem with the study: it involved just six people. Noviosense will need to conduct more tests and implement further refinements before there's something that would be practical. However, the very fact this technology is advancing forward is important. There might still be a time when you can keep tabs on diabetes in a subtle way without needles, implants or other methods that might be painful, inconvenient or simply conspicuous.