Retinal Implant Could Help Restore Useful Level Of Vision To Certain Groups Of Blind People

The success of cochlear implants restoring hearing to deaf patients has researchers at MIT thinking, "Why can't we do the same thing for the blind?" And so, these dedicated scientists have been working on a retinal implant that will help blind patients who have lost their sight due to retinal damage regain some level of vision.

The device consists of a pair of glasses with a camera attached, and when the camera picks up an image, the image is sent to a microchip implanted in the eye. The microchip then activates electrodes attached to optical nerve cells and send the visual information directly from the nerves to the brain.

Previously, attempts had been made to implant the microchip behind the eye and attach the electrodes to the top of the retina, but this procedure was way too invasive and risked more damage to the retina. Now, the idea is to attach the microchip to the outside of the eye, and implant the electrodes right behind the retina. This way there is less destruction done to the retina and the procedure is minimally invasive.

Ten years ago, a study was conducted with six blind people with electrodes attached to their eyes. When the electrodes were signaled, the patients reported seeing "clouds" or "drops of blood" corresponding to the number of electrodes in their eyes.

Similar devices have been implanted in the eyes of pigs for up to 10 months. Researchers are hoping to start human trials in as little as three years. The newest prototype for the design is encased in titanium instead of silicone, which means the device will last longer and be more durable. They are hoping to create a device implantable in humans for up to 10 years.

This article caught my eye because my grandma is blind and has every eye disease you can imagine (glaucoma, macular degeneration, stargarts, problems with eye pressure, etc., etc.), and most of those diseases are thought to skip a generation, meaning my sister and I are on our way to complete blindness and many, many problems with our eyes. We are already almost unable to function without having glasses or contacts on, and LASIK is not an option because of our family history, so I would be really excited if an implantable device would be available to restore vision.

Link to article - ScienceDaily

Eloura Durkee

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