Eye Implants Pioneered


New technology is being advanced to introduce a ‘bionic’ eye for those who have gone blind due to problems with their retinas.  RP, (retinitis pigmentosa), is a degenerative disease that damages the retina within the eye and causes blindness over time.  It is a very large problem, with around 200,000 sufferers across the globe.  The new eye would be fitted in place of the natural damaged eye, and would be removable so allowing any technological advances to replace it. 

In the past the thought of having a man made eye seemed quite a ridiculous idea, but with research being done at Oxford University in the near future it could be a real answer to restoring vision. 

The eye implant works by using electrodes to send information from the eye in the place of the retina.  These can currently only send a black and white signal, however this allows reading and more vision than blurred notions of light that is all RP patients can see otherwise.  Normally trials of this type are only allowed to continue for 3 months, however due to the importance of this breakthrough these eyes are being trialled in the UK now, with a 12 month study on 6 patients.  If they prove effective then a real viable solution to blindness from RP, and potentially other eye disease, could have been found. 

26th March 2010

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