TECHNOLOGY FOR CHANGE

Retinal Implants May Change Vision Care Forever

Dave Greenfield | Date: 07-19-10 | Comments

Innovative retinal implants make use of microchips and electricity to restore sight to blind patients.

Technology is advancing the outlook for patients with retinal degeneration. Retinal and macular degeneration are the culprits of a large portion of vision loss. Over the years, several groups of researchers have developed electrical retinal implants that can be attached to the retina of patients who have lost vision due to problems with their retinas. The progress of this research has been slow and often disappointing. However, the scientific community is now hopeful that they are on the verge of a vision-care breakthrough.

While electrical currents have been used to aid the hearing impaired with cochlear implants and in heart patients with pacemakers, the eye is a much more complex organ. Doctors must be able to stimulate many intricate neurons in the eye and optical nerve to replicate images to the eye. They must be able to do it exactly in the right sequence for the eye to register an image.

A retinal implant model called the Argus II is being developed by Sylmar, Calif.-based Second Sight. Its prototype features a microchip with approximately 60 electrodes attached to the blind patient�s retina, and stimulates it with electrical impulses. It also features a revolutionary eyeglass camera that sends images and the all-important electrical current to the retinal device.

The Argus II works by sending electrical impulses to the neurons of the brain.

Devices like the Argus II are being readied to enter the consumer market. Scientists are optimistic that these devices will be available widely in the very near future. These retinal implants may not repair a blind person�s sight entirely. Instead, the patient would be able to discern objects in front of them such as passageways and roads, and in some cases may even be able to read large text. This is certainly a positive step in aiding those who are visually impaired.