Scientists have created contact lenses which allow the wearer to shoot lasers from their eyes like Superman.

The ultra-thin membranes are placed on the iris and produce a green beam which can shine up to 20 inches from the eye.

Scientists said the beam of light could be used to help in a medical setting or to check for counterfeit banknotes.

Professor Malte Gather, who is part of a research team at St. Andrews University in Fife, Scotland, said: “The intensity of the laser is so low you can put it in the eye without damaging it. It is a new milestone in laser development.”

The research was published in Nature Communications.