The technology incorporates custom video technology in a head-mounted display and a targeted molecular agent that attaches to cancer cells, making them glow fluorescent when viewed with the glasses.

Cancer cells are notoriously difficult to see, even under high magnification, which requires surgeons to remove surrounding tissue to see if it too is infected. If this is the case patients will have to require additional surgery.

“A limitation of surgery is that it’s not always clear to the naked eye the distinction between normal tissue and cancerous tissue,” Ryan Fields, MD, told Science Daily.

“With the glasses developed by Dr. Achilefu, we can better identify the tissue that must be removed.”

The glasses are designed to make it easier for surgeons to pick up on these hard-to-see cells and tumours as small as 1mm in diameter to ensure nothing is left behind during procedures and also cut down on time under the knife.

“We’re in the early stages of this technology, and more development and testing will be done, but we’re certainly encouraged by the potential benefits to patients,” breast surgeon Julie Margenthaler said.

“Our hope is that this new technology will reduce or ideally eliminate the need for a second surgery,” she said.