The blind shall see

By: Josh Leach

     Incredible advances in prosthesis have occurred within the last decade, but an electronic eye has always been far from obtainable.  The eye is simply too complex to copy exactly.  The challenge is more difficult than building a camera, because the image must be converted into electrochemical impulses which can be processed by the brain.  However, a radical new invention can bypass the retina and relay the image to the optic nerve.

     A tiny electronic chip inserted into the eye could bring vision to a group blinded by faulty retinas.  According to Times magazine, “The chip, which is encased in titanium to prevent water damage, will be implanted onto a patient's eyeball. The patient will then wear a pair of eyeglasses equipped with a tiny camera that transmits images directly to the chip, which in turn sends them to the brain.”  MediLexicon International, an online news website, has a lot of faith in this device.  They declared, “Promising results have shown that blind patients have regained their sight with a sub-retinal microchip, according to the first part of the second clinical trial for the device taking place in Germany.  The patients involved in the study, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society, were blinded by retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and used the implant in and outside of their homes.”  Josh Kurosz, a senior at Seckman High School, said, “This is terrific news for a lot people.  Blindness can make personal independence very difficult.”

     How effective is the chip?  Well, MediLexicon International goes on to say, “The participants documented having the ability to read letters uninhibited, decipher different objects such as telephones, recognize faces, and read signs on doors.  The electronic eye was manufactured by Retina Implant AG and is a 3 mm x 3 mm microchip that has around 1,500 electrodes. It is implanted under the retina creating artificial vision.”  

     Abby Aldridge, a senior, asked, “When will this be available on the market?”  Well, the FDA, the Food and Drug Administration, has approved the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System.  The device should be on the market soon but will likely be very expensive.  Unfortunately, the device is only effect for people with dysfunctional retinas.  The optic nerve and other parts of the eye must be functional.  Nonetheless, this incredible invention has already transformed people’s lives.