An update on retinal prostheses.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Ophthalmology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Retinal prostheses aim to restore vision in individuals with profound vision loss due to retinal degenerative diseases.
• These devices require an intact posterior visual pathway, including the optic nerve, lateral geniculate nucleus, and visual cortex.
• Approved retinal implants have been used in over 500 patients globally in the last 15 years.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current retinal prosthesis technologies and their clinical outcomes.
• To summarize the challenges and future directions in the field of retinal prostheses.
• To encompass the work of numerous research groups in device development and stimulation strategies.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on retinal prostheses, including device development, stimulation strategies, and physiological studies.
• Analysis of clinical outcomes and adverse events reported for regulatory-approved retinal implants.
• Synthesis of research from over 40 contributing research groups.

Main Results:

• Current retinal prostheses improve the ability to localize high-contrast objects, navigate, and perform basic orientation tasks.
• Adverse events such as conjunctival erosion and retinal detachment are rare.
• Ongoing research focuses on improving visual acuity, expanding the field-of-view, and optimizing image processing.

Conclusions:

• Retinal prostheses provide a functional vision restoration option for specific patient populations.
• Despite successes, significant challenges remain in enhancing visual performance and device capabilities.
• Continued research and development are crucial for advancing retinal prosthesis technology and patient outcomes.