The Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System consists of a tiny eyeglasses-mounted camera and a transmitter that wirelessly sends signals to an electrode array that is implanted onto the damaged retina of a blind person. They are designed to achieve functional vision goals - as opposed to physical, cosmetic ones. Bionic eye implants, on the other hand, work inside the existing eye structures or in the brain. Prosthetic eyes (also called "glass eyes" or "artificial eyes") replace the physical structure and appearance of an eye that must be removed due to trauma, pain, disfigurement or disease. Bionic eyes do more than prosthetic eyesĪ bionic eye is not the same thing as a prosthetic eye. However, as research continues, more and more people may soon benefit from high-tech bionic eyes. Several bionic eye implants are in development, but currently only one is available in the United States, and it is suitable only for blindness caused by specific eye diseases. What's more, bionic eye technology is still in its infancy compared with cochlear implants for hearing loss. But different scientists' methods for achieving this vary.
One such effort is the development of a so-called bionic eye or bionic eye implants.īionic eye scientists have one common goal: to develop technology that's as effective for visual disabilities as cochlear implants have become for auditory ones. With nearly 40 million people suffering from blindness worldwide and another 124 million affected by low vision, it's no surprise that researchers are intent on developing novel ways to restore sight. By Amy Hellem reviewed by Gary Heiting, OD
0 kommentar(er)
