A team of researchers has created the second generation of a retinal prosthesis that may artificially create a semblance of sight for some who have lost their vision because of retinitis pigmentosa or macular degeneration. At the annual American Association for the Advancement of Science, developers for the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had approved a clinical trial of their hi-tech implant for later this year.

The Argus II is an advancement over the original prosthesis, which implanted 16 electrodes as light-receptors into a diseased eye. Six blind patients had limited ability to sense light, motion, and identify shapes and objects after receiving the original implant. The new procedure uses 60 electrodes, which researchers say will strengthen the implant’s ability to restore some vision.

Researchers say the technology does not hold out the promise of full eyesight. “The retina’s electrical transmission process is very sophisticated, and we simply don’t yet understand the language well enough to simulate it,” said Dr. John Loewenstein. With the implants, research subjects can see spots of light. However, the translation of those spots into images is still a work in progress. “We think we’re on the right road,” said Dr. Jim Weiland, a member of the research team, “but we still have a lot of work to do.”

Source: Forbes Health Scout

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