Eye Telescope Implant

Macular degeneration is a progressive disease where a portion of the retina, called the macula, no longer functions properly. Many patients who suffer from macular degeneration can now depend on an implantable telescope in hopes of regaining their vision. The role of the retina, specifically the macula, is to convert light waves into electrical signals to be sent to the brain. So, when your macula degenerates, only light from the peripheral vision can be seen, causing severe sight loss. The pea-sized implantable telescope developed by VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies can magnify visual information that enters the eye by almost three-fold. The telescope takes like that enters the eye and refracts it to parts of the retina that have no been affected by the macula degeneration. Consequently, areas of the retina that are used for peripheral vision are now being used to provide sight for the eye. This implant is only used in one of the eyes because when implanted, the eye will not longer have peripheral sight. So, the eye with the implant will be used for central vision, while the eye without the implant (still with macular degeneration issues) will be used for peripheral light. eyeThis device is not for everyone, but can aid those who meet the eligibility requirements, which include having end-stage macular degeneration and have failed other medical and surgical treatments.

I took great interest in this article because over spring break I met one of my brother's classmates who has macula damage of his retina and was actually dismissed from Navy flight school because of this condition. This kind of advancement could maybe one day keep this from happening again.

http://www.biomedicalblog.com/implanted-telescope-improves-vision/40100/