Bionic eye invented at Stanford University

Bionic eyes are been designed to restore people’s eyesight. The retinal implants which are powered by light unlike the previous implants, which were powered by battery. The new implants work through a pair of special glasses which beam infrared light into the eyes.

The implants, which have been invented by scientists at Stanford University, have been testing on rat. The implant gives hope to hundreds, thousands of people. The loss of eyesight is caused by the death of cells that detect light in the eyes; this is usually caused by diseases such as macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.

Researchers said: “Such a fully integrated wireless implant promises the restoration of useful vision to patients blinded by degenerative retinal diseases.”

Retinal implants have managed to help two UK blind men to be able to see, seeing such things as light and shapes. The current implants require a chip to be fitted behind the retina and a battery placed behind the ear and then a cable would join to be able to make it work.

The glasses, which are said to make people be able to see again, are fitted with a video camera that will capture images before the patient is able to see them; it would then fire a beam of infrared light into the eyes.

According to the BBC, research at Stanford University stated the researchers said: “Because the photovoltaic implant is thin and wireless, the surgical procedure is much simpler than in other retinal prosthetic approaches.”

“Such a fully integrated wireless implant promises the restoration of useful vision to patients blinded by degenerative retinal diseases.”

Matthew Warcup