Artificial retina technology has been creating a buzz in the medical field and catching much attention lately. As sight is arguably one of the most important senses, losing it affects a person’s quality of life greatly.

Hence, an artificial retina implant to help visually impaired people see again with precision is a technology that is gaining attention globally. These devices or implants act as a replacement for the natural retina and offer a new hope for vision.

The artificial retina is still in the early stages of development, but researchers believe it will revolutionize the ophthalmology industry and improve the quality of life for many visually impaired patients worldwide.

What is Artificial Retina?

Artificial retina technology aims to restore vision to visually impaired or blind people by using an electronic device to transmit visual images from a tiny video device and onto the brain’s visual cortex.

It consists of a wireless chip that sits in the eye and a camera mounted on a pair of glasses, which sends images to the chip. The device’s electrodes stimulate the remaining neurons in the optical nerve to generate visual perception.

The artificial retina, also known as a retinal prosthesis system (RPS), is designed to replace the natural retina that is damaged, allowing the brain to perceive a visual image, albeit an artificially generated one.

How Does It Work?

Once the artificial retina device is implanted in the eye, it collects visual signals through a camera attached to a pair of glasses.

The captured image is then converted into an electrical signal and transmitted to a small computer chip implanted in the eye. The implant chip sends these signals to electrodes, attached to the retina to stimulate the remaining healthy neurons, producing a visual representation of the object.

These electrodes generate a pattern of light and dark spots that play a crucial role in helping the brain comprehend the visual message generated.

Types of Artificial Retina

Artificial retina devices come in two different types: epiretinal and subretinal. The Epiretinal prosthesis is placed on the patient’s inner retinal surface, while the subretinal implant is located beneath the retina at the back of the eye.

Epiretinal Prosthesis

The epiretinal prosthesis is implanted to cover the surface of the retina. A small electrode array is positioned over the macular region of the retina, which deepens the surgical process’s complexity.

The array is implanted through a small incision and attached to the macula’s inner surface, offering high resolution due to its proximity to the retina’s ganglion cells. The individuals implanted with an epiretinal implant can typically form image perception through small fields of light that match the electrode’s position.

Subretinal Prosthesis

The subretinal prosthesis is placed under the retina towards the back of the eye. The device consists of a photodiode array that interacts with the environment’s light and an electrode array to stimulate the neurons in the retina.

The photodiode array transforms the light it absorbs into electrical pulses, which stimulate the remaining neurons in the retina and produce the pattern of light and dark spots that generate a visual perception.

Who Can Use Artificial Retina?

Artificial retina implants are specifically designed for patients who suffer from certain eye conditions.

It is recommended for patients with degenerative conditions such as retinal pigmentosa or age-related macular degeneration, which leads to the degeneration of photoreceptor cells. These diseases primarily affect elderly people and the chances of recovery through conventional measures are slim.

Patients who have been visually impaired since birth or suffer from serious eye diseases or lesions that cannot be resolved through conventional surgery or medication can also use them. Typically, artificial retinas work to restore the patient’s ability to see only to an extent and do not fully restore their natural vision.

Benefits of Artificial Retina

The artificial retina offers immense benefits to the individuals who use them. Here are some of the benefits:.

Restoration of Vision

The most significant benefit of this device is that it enables visually impaired people to perceive visual images by restoring their vision.

It allows these individuals to see objects and surroundings they were unable to see before, making them feel less dependent on others.

Better Quality of Life

Vision is a crucial element of daily life, playing an essential role in communication, navigation, and other crucial activities.

The restoration of vision through artificial retina offers visually impaired individuals a better quality of life, enabling them to perform their daily activities with greater ease, boosting their confidence and reducing their dependency on others.

Development of Technology

The invention of the artificial retina marks a significant milestone in the medical field and technology. As research in the field progresses, the device offers a chance for researchers to explore the limitations and potential of the technology.

The advancements gained in the development of artificial retina technology pave the way for other related fields of science and innovation.

Risks of Artificial Retina

Although the artificial retina implant offers many benefits, it is not free of risks. Like all surgeries, it involves certain risks associated with the surgical procedure such as bleeding, swelling, or infection at the site of the implantation.

There are also considerable risks of permanent blindness or visual impairment if the surgery is not performed properly.

Cost of Artificial Retina

Artificial retina technology is still in its early stages of development, making the implantation cost substantial. An individual may have to bear a cost ranging from $100,000 to $150,000 to get an artificial retina implant.

Other costs associated with the surgery such as medication, accommodation, rehabilitation, and follow-up care may also add to the cost of this procedure.

Future Scope of Artificial Retina

With technology rapidly advancing, researchers believe that the artificial retina will develop even further in the future.

The technology used in the artificial retina is still under development and going through clinical trials, which require rigorous testing before it gets approval for mass production and use. As the research progresses, it is expected that additional features will be added to the device to improve its efficacy.

Conclusion

The artificial retina is a revolutionary technology that aims to improve the quality of life of visually impaired individuals. It offers a new hope for people who have lost their vision due to age- or disease-related changes in the retina.

Although this technology is still in its infancy, with continued research and development, it offers great potential to restore partial vision and improve the quality of life of those individuals affected by retinal disorders.