A review and update on the current status of retinal prostheses (bionic eye)
Yvonne H-L Luo1, Lyndon da Cruz
1Biomedical Research Centre, National Institute of Health Research, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, 162 City Road, London EC1V 2PD, UK.
Introduction/Background:
The Argus® II is the first retinal prosthesis approved for the treatment of patients blind from retinitis pigmentosa (RP), receiving CE (Conformité Européenne) marking in March 2011 and FDA approval in February 2013. Alpha-IMS followed closely and obtained CE marking in July 2013. Other devices are being developed, some of which are currently in clinical trials.
Sources Of Data:
A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMED, Google Scholar and IEEExplore.
Areas Of Agreement:
Retinal prostheses play a part in restoring vision in blind RP patients providing stable, safe and long-term retinal stimulation.
Areas Of Controversy:
Objective improvement in visual function does not always translate into consistent improvement in the patient's quality of life. Controversy exists over the use of an external image-capturing device versus internally placed photodiode devices.
Growing Points:
The alpha-IMS, a photovoltaic-based retinal prosthesis recently obtained its CE marking in July 2013.
Areas Timely For Developing Research:
Improvement in retinal prosthetic vision depends on: (i) improving visual resolution, (ii) improving the visual field, (iii) developing an accurate neural code for image processing and (iv) improving the biocompatibility of the device to ensure longevity.
